Seeing flashing lights in your vision can be unsettling, and the right next step depends on what else is happening. Sometimes flashes come from harmless changes inside the eye or a visual migraine. Other times, they can point to a retinal tear or retinal detachment, which needs prompt care.
Dr. Nicole Lemoncelli and her team use advanced diagnostic technology to evaluate symptoms like flashes, floaters, and sudden vision changes. She also completed a residency specializing in ocular pathology, giving her a strong background in detecting and managing eye health concerns.
What can cause flashing lights in your vision?
Flashing lights often happen when the retina or visual system is stimulated. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, and changes around it can sometimes create the appearance of sparks, streaks, or camera-like flashes.
Common causes include:
- Vitreous changes: The gel-like fluid inside the eye can shrink or pull away from the retina with age, sometimes causing brief flashes.
- Migraine aura: Some people see shimmering lights, zigzags, or blind spots before or during a migraine, even without head pain.
- Retinal tear or detachment: Flashes with new floaters, a shadow, or a curtain over your vision can be a warning sign.
- Eye injury or inflammation: Trauma, irritation, or certain eye conditions may also trigger light-related symptoms.
Because these causes can feel similar, a comprehensive eye exam in Nashville can help determine whether your symptoms are routine or need urgent attention.
When are flashing lights an eye emergency?
Flashing lights may be an emergency if they are sudden, increasing, or paired with other vision changes. Contact an eye doctor promptly if you notice:
- New or worsening flashes
- A sudden increase in floaters
- A dark curtain, shadow, or missing area in your vision
- Decreased or distorted vision
- Flashes after an eye or head injury
These symptoms can sometimes indicate retinal detachment, which can cause permanent vision loss without timely treatment. Flashes of light, increased floaters, or a dark curtain in your side vision can be signs that you need emergency eye care right away.
How can an eye doctor check for retinal problems?
An eye doctor can examine the retina and look for signs of pulling, tearing, bleeding, inflammation, or detachment. At Lemoncelli Eyecare, retinal imaging technology can help the team get a detailed look at the back of the eye.
An Optomap retinal exam captures a wide-field image of the retina and helps Dr. Lemoncelli compare changes over time. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides detailed cross-sectional images of the retina and macula and can help identify certain retinal concerns more precisely.
These tools do not replace your symptoms or history, but they can give your eye doctor valuable information when deciding what is causing the flashes.
Protect your vision with the right next step
If flashing lights are brief, familiar, and linked to a known migraine pattern, they may not be an emergency. But if they are new, sudden, one-sided, increasing, or happening with floaters or vision loss, it is safest to seek care promptly.
Lemoncelli Eyecare is located on Charlotte Ave. in Nashville, not far from Ascension St. Thomas Hospital Midtown and Vanderbilt University. If you are experiencing new flashes, floaters, or sudden vision changes, contact the office so Dr. Lemoncelli and her team can help determine whether you need urgent evaluation.