Flashing Lights: It's A Camera... It's Lightning... No, It's Your Retina!

It's not uncommon for patients to come in to the clinic and mention they have recently seen something that looked like a streak of lightning or a flash bulb going off in some part of their vision.


How does this happen?The retina is a thin film that covers the inside of our eyes. It is the part of the eye responsible for receiving light signals and sending them to the brain. As you can expect, it needs to be very sensitive.

Due to this high sensitivity, any small movement of the retina can cause signals to be fired back to the brain, making us think that eye is sensing light.


3 most common situations in which flashes are noticed:
1) Patients with near-sighted prescriptions. Near-sightedness is mostly due to the eye ball being larger than average. As the eye grows, the retina becomes stretched. This can lead to areas of thinning and tension.

2) The vitreous gel inside the eye is attached to the retina in multiple areas. Movement of the vitreous can pull on the retina leading to the sensation of flashes.

3) Pressing on the eye. Mechanically releases the chemicals (Phosphenes) that start the signal to the brain.


FAQ:
Q: Are flashes a sign of something bad?
A: Potentially. Flashes could be the first signs of the retina is being pulled, torn, or detached.

If you notice flashes in your vision, especially if combined with new floaters, it is very important to see your eye doctor right away to make sure there are no signs of any tears or detachments.
Q: Do people who have had laser eye surgery still need to worry about their retinas?
A: YES YES YES!!! It is vital for patient's who have had any kind of surgery to have regular eye exams.


Thanks for reading. Please feel free to send me questions and comments about this or any other topic.