Visual Flashing Lights

Eyes | Ophthalmology | Visual Flashing Lights (Symptom)


Description

Flashes are visual effects where a person sees sudden flashes of light. (For flashes of warm feelings see hot flashes. ) Some of the effects are like flashing lights, an arc of light, or the feeling like a light-bulb has just flashed on and off in the periphery of vision.

Flashes need immediate medical diagnosis by an eye specialist because of the risk of the severe retinal detachment, which can cause vision loss. However, other causes of flashes (and floaters) are more common than retinal detachment, such as vitreous detachment due to aging.

Causes

Flashes are caused by improper stimulation of the eye's retina, or the optic nerve, which the brain interprets as light. Flashes may occur on movement of the eye, such as in vitreous detachment where the vitreous is pulling on the retina and eye movement exacerbates the effect.

Floaters are often associated with visual floaters, where the person sees spots, dots, lines, clouds or cobwebs in front of the eyes. Floaters are also a symptom of serious disease such as retinal detachment, but there are less serious possibilities also. Any floaters or flashes need immediate medical diagnosis by an eye specialist.

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