Flickering right eye!?

[Asheen]

Hi, does anyone have problems with eyes flickering on a daily basis (not all the time) my optician says even though I’m on hydraclorquine I don’t need a yearly eye test but that’s different from RA clinic 🤨🤔

[oldtimer]

These are the most recent recommendations for the UK:

Screening for retinopathy

A review group convened by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists has updated guidelines on screening for chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine retinopathy (Hydroxychloroquine and Chloroquine Retinopathy: Recommendations on Screening 2018). Recent data have highlighted that hydroxychloroquine retinopathy is more common than previously reported.

Screening recommendations for hydroxychloroquine:

All patients planning to be on long-term treatment should receive a baseline examination (including fundus photography and spectral domain optical coherence tomography) within 6–12 months of treatment initiation;

Annual screening is recommended in all patients who have taken hydroxychloroquine for greater than 5 years;

Annual screening may be commenced before 5 years of treatment if additional risk factors for retinal toxicity exist, such as concomitant tamoxifen therapy, impaired renal function (eGFR less than 60 mL/minute/1.73 m2) or high-dose therapy (greater than 5 mg/kg/day of hydroxychloroquine sulfate).

I don't think flickering is associated with retinopathy. It's usually a migraine type symptom.

[Asheen in reply to oldtimer]

Ok thank you good to hear.. sorry for my spelling of hydroxychloroquiuine

[BUDGIEBURDEKIN]

Hi, I’ve had this prior to Fibromyalgia and it stopped after about 18 months on and off, I wouldn’t worry about it as I believe it’s stress related, my wife has this on and off. You’ll be ok, although annoying.

Philip

[Asheen in reply to BUDGIEBURDEKIN]

👍🏼 thank you, it’s to easy to blame RA for things.

[Jeppy in reply to Asheen]

..I know and we start to think the worst, I've had this come and go

I e got a thing about eyes and look at the vits, products, that support eye health haha there is sense in the olden saying about eating carrots to see in the dark, adequate Vit A

[sylvi]

I always get my eyes tested every year because your eyes can change so much in that time when you have RA. My left eye has deteriated quite a bit in this last year. I am waiting for my new glasses to come this week.xxx

[Asheen in reply to sylvi]

Thank you 😊

[Hidden]

Yearly eye tests at opticians here. I have nystagmus so my eyes flicker a bit but nothing to do with hydroxy as that can cause retinopathy which has different symptoms.

[Asheen in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your reply... 1 thing less for me to worry about 😊

[Hidden in reply to Asheen]

You could always go to the optician, Specsavers here do an NHS clinic and I’ve been seen quickly and free a couple of times when I’ve had vision problems. If you tell them you’ve got a problem surely they will see you even if they charge you? I’d go somewhere else if they won’t. Puts your mind at rest.

[Asheen in reply to Hidden]

Yes I think that’s going to be the best thing 😊

[Uzula]

Flickering I don`t know about but I get twitching quite a lot and I believe its due to tiredness (I don`t sleep properly) Hope you find out the cause of your problem

[Asheen in reply to Uzula]

Thank you, yes I too suffer from lack of sleep.

[sparklyshazza]

You will need yearly eye tests whilst on hydroxychloroquine

[Asheen in reply to sparklyshazza]

Yes thank you for taking the time to reply.

[Caza]

Yes I get one eye or the other, never both at the same time, that flicker. For me it’s stress/tiredness that causes it. Really annoying. I take Hydroxychoroquine & always have my eyes every 9-12 months. As I’ve been on them now for 6yrs I also have them tested at the hospital once a year, it’s a completely different examination so it’s important to do both.

[Asheen in reply to Caza]

Oh right, thank you for that. I’ll definitely keep my eye on it... sorry about the pun!! 😊

[ffranny]

Flickering as in the muscles round the eye? Yes but it goes away ... flickering light when you look at things? Yes..went to optician and had an odema ie swelling in retina.. if optician has photographed back of eye to check then I guess they know ..

[FionaVanDieken]

I've been to gp about this. I was told it was a tic and was stress related. Had a weekend away with the hubby and came home without it! Self care is so important. Take time to relax and don't let the twinges worry you x

[Asheen in reply to FionaVanDieken]

Thank you 😊

[Nellie1965]

Hi Asheen,I have flickering eyelids too.Both eyes,drives me mad,Had it for about 5 years but it’s worse now.I started Hydroxichlorquinine 3weeks ago.Nothing to do with that.GP told me it’s stress related.As for the meds,had eye test before I started,the optician said it needs to be done at least once a year while on the meds.Good luck.xx

[Asheen in reply to Nellie1965]

Hi Nellie .... Yes that seems to be the overall answers.

Thank you for taking the time to reply 😊

[Tkachev]

Hi Ashleen. Do you mean twitching or you see flickering/flashes. I had the latter and went for a routine eye test. The flashes turned out to be a detached retina so had to have it fixed immediately. I am on hydroxy but they said my detched retina was due to my short sightedness, can happen to anyone at anytime. Just a routine eye test will detect any problems if there are any x

[Asheen]

Thankfully it’s not happened again, I think it was twitching.

Glad you got your problem sorted. x