photopsia

DEFINITION of photopsia

photopsia refers to subjective visual sensations of light—described as streaks, zigzags, lightning‑like flashes, sparkles, or camera‑flash bursts—that occur in the visual field without external illumination. Mechanically or electrically triggered activity in the retina or visual pathways (for example, vitreoretinal traction in posterior vitreous detachment) causes retinal cells to fire, which the brain interprets as light. Common associations include posterior vitreous detachment, retinal tears or detachment, migraine aura (with or without headache), occipital lobe ischemia, optic neuritis, and age‑related macular degeneration. New‑onset or sudden increase in photopsias, especially with floaters or a curtain over vision, is an ophthalmic urgency due to the risk of retinal break or detachment.

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ETYMOLOGY of photopsia

greek photopsia refers to subjective visual sensations of light—described as streaks, zigzags, lightning‑like flashes, sparkles, or camera‑flash bursts—that occur in the visual field without external illumination. Mechanically or electrically triggered activity in the retina or visual pathways (for example, vitreoretinal traction in posterior vitreous detachment) causes retinal cells to fire, which the brain interprets as light. Common associations include posterior vitreous detachment, retinal tears or detachment, migraine aura (with or without headache), occipital lobe ischemia, optic neuritis, and age‑related macular degeneration. New‑onset or sudden increase in photopsias, especially with floaters or a curtain over vision, is an ophthalmic urgency due to the risk of retinal break or detachment.

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DERIVATIONS of photopsia

TABLE definition AS Definition
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Query functionality

TABLE definition AS Definition
FROM #medterm 
WHERE length(filter(definition, (word) => econtains([[]].definition, word))) > 0 AND file.name != [[]].file.name

Med roots Appendix A Prefixes Appendix B Combining Forms Appendix C Suffixes Appendix D Suffix forms