How can a person “see stars”? When you exert yourself physically and then stop, you have these hundreds of little BBs zooming in space in front of you. I have actually believed I could touch them. Try staring at the ground about ten feet in front of you and follow one of the lights out of the corner of your eye until it blinks out. It’s kind of a kick. Explain how this physical change of sight and mind can occur as easily as doing a cartwheel. –Terry, Waunakee, Wisconsin
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Not being one for cartwheels, Terry, Cecil has been trying to see what kind of business he could drum up doing somersaults. This has moved him to thank God he doesn’t have any kids around to see what kind of weirdo their father is, particularly after that session last month with the Hula Hoop. I did, however, get a passel of zooming BBs on one occasion, along with a monster headache. The little spots of light, which are to be distinguished from the opaque spots or threads we’ve discussed in the past, persist for perhaps five or ten seconds and appear to swim around. But I only got them after a particularly crazed gymnastic exhibition. What do you do, conclude your cartwheels by slamming into a wall?
Grim though it sounds, vitreous detachment is normal, occurring in maybe half the population. Apart from stars and spots, your vision usually winds up about the same. But stars (and spots) can also herald a detached retina, which is bad news indeed. I made a New Year’s resolution, however, that I was not going to sow panic amongst the populace, a resolution that has already been sorely tested by that bit about penile fractures. You want to pursue this, go ask somebody else.
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): illustration/Slug Signorino.
