try to lower its value from console or game menu to .1 then go back to your desired value. had same problem some time ago ive observed it will have to be done every time you run the game

so best way is probably to delete etconfig from profile. if changing to .1 and then to your value helps =)
about bright areas and so on. maybe r_mapoverbrights and r_overbrightbits are messed up. make them default values or just kill the god damn etconfig from profile
also might be a solution to rollback to last good configuration drivers and then update with managment console > your video card > update drivers