I'm Seeing Flashes of Light — Should I Worry?

Whether you’re rubbing your eyes or squinting to see something in the distance, minor eye problems are very common. If you’re tired, dealing with allergies, have blurred vision, or see spots or floaters, it can be due to several simple issues like fatigue, too much caffeine, astigmatism, dry eye syndrome, migraine, or pink eye.

Another vision problem you may experience is seeing flashes of light, a condition called photopsia. The light appears suddenly and then quickly fades, so you wonder if it’s something to worry about. Let’s find out by learning more about a photopsia, and its possible causes.

If you live in the Muncie, Indiana, area and you’re struggling with flashes of light or other vision problems, Dr. Jeffrey Rapkin and his team at Retina Consultants of Muncie can help.

Defining a photopsia

Your vision is a function of how your eyes absorb light, but a photopsia is the result of phosphenes – flashes of light you experience without any external light source. The light you see can also take on many shapes, sizes, and appearances, including zigzag lines, lightning streaks, spinning flashes, moving spots, thick lines, fuzz, or white snow.

Photopsias are a symptom of other conditions, and determining if they’re serious may be due to the duration of the problem or if it’s accompanied by other signs, such as loss of vision, or pain. 

Possible causes

Tiny fibers in your vitreous humor (the clear fluid that makes up most of the volume of your eye) can attach and pull on your retina, leading to the flashes you see. There are a range of reasons you may experience these flashes of light:

Medications

Medications for heart conditions, rheumatoid arthritis,  and malaria can cause floaters and flashes of light. These medications include sildenafil, bevacizumab, clomiphene, digoxin, paclitaxel, quetiapine, quinine, and voriconazole. 

Eye conditions

Many eye problems can lead to light flashes, such as a retinal detachment or retinal tear, posterior vitreous detachment (a common cause related to aging), optic neuritis, diabetic retinopathy, retinal pressure, and eye injuries.

Other conditions

Conditions not related to your eye can also create this phenomenon, like migraines, occipital epilepsy, ministrokes (transient ischemic attacks), and tumors.

Occasional flashes of light that go away on their own are likely harmless, but if they’re persistent and come with other symptoms that affect your vision, get help as soon as possible.

Treatment options are as varied as the conditions that cause photopsias, so if you have this problem and it’s recurring, make an appointment with Dr. Rapkin and his team at Retina Consultants of Muncie today.