

It may be a symptom of a different health condition, such as: If you rub your eyes, cough too hard, or get hit on the head, you may notice flashes of light due to extra pressure on the retina.įlashes of light in your eye may not necessarily be caused by an eye-related issue. When this happens, the retina detaches, shifts, or moves away from the back wall of the eye. Retinal detachment is a serious condition that can cause partial or complete loss of vision. Flashes of light can be a symptom of this condition. This can be caused by an infection or a nerve-related disorder such as multiple sclerosis. Optic neuritis happens when the optic nerve becomes inflamed. This condition doesn’t usually require treatment.

If it happens too quickly, it can cause small flashes of light, usually in the corner of your vision. With posterior vitreous detachment, the vitreous humor detaches from the retina. This is one of the most common causes of flashes of light in your eye. Several types of eye-related issues may cause flashes of light to appear in the corner of your eye or field of vision, such as: Some causes may be related to your eye health, while others may be related to other types of health conditions.

What are the possible causes?Īccording to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, seeing flashes of light in the corner of your eye can be caused by a variety of factors or conditions. Instead, they tend to be a symptom of another condition. When these fibers get pulled or rubbed, it can cause flashes or light sparks from the friction.įlashes of light in the eye are typically not a condition on their own. Tiny fibers float in the vitreous fluid and are attached to the retina. These flickers of light happen in the back part of your eye where the retina’s located. While there are many reasons you may see flashes of light in your eye, pressure or force on the retina are most often the causes. It protects the retina and helps your eye maintain its shape. The vitreous humor is a clear jelly-like fluid that takes up a large part of the back of your eye.The job of the retina is to process the focused light that comes in through your pupil and to let your brain convert this information into a picture. It transmits electrical signals to your brain via the optic nerve. The retina is a thin light-sensitive tissue that lines the back of the inside of your eye.Let’s consider the function of the retina and vitreous humor to better understand these flashes.
