However, it can also be a symptom of a medical issue, such as migraine headaches or a problem with the health or structure of the eye. If you experience photopsia often or for extended periods of time, see your healthcare provider. An optometrist or opthalmologist can give you a full eye exam to help determine the cause. This article discusses photopsia and five possible medical causes for seeing stars.
When the retina the lining in the back of the eye senses light, it sends a message to the optic nerve , and to the brain. The brain then processes and identifies the image.
When you have photopsia, something other than visible light stimulates the retina. These artificial flashes of light are known as phosphenes. Phosphenes can be triggered by applying pressure to the eyes or stimulating certain neurons in the eye or the brain. The most common cause of phosphenes is pressure on the eye. This can include rubbing the eyes, sneezing, or a blow to the head. Photopsia can also occur due to a medical condition.
For example, low blood pressure, eye injury, diseases of the eye or brain, or migraines can cause you to see stars or flashes of light. Photopsia—seeing stars or flashes of light—occurs when the retina is stimulated. This can be caused by pressure, such as rubbing your eyes. It can also be a sign of a health issue. Phosphenes caused by pressure can last for a few seconds.
For example, you might see stars when you rub your eyes, sneeze, cough, strain, or vomit. When phosphenes last longer than a few seconds or recur frequently, it could be a sign of a more serious issue and you should see your eye doctor right away.
Phosphenes can be caused by pressure inside the eye or brain. Possible reasons include:. Posterior vitreous detachment PVD is a common condition that is caused by aging. The vitreous is a jelly-like substance that fills the center of the eye and gives the eyeball its shape. It is attached to the retina. With normal aging, the vitreous becomes less firm and, in the process, can pull on the retina. If the force of the pulling becomes strong enough, the vitreous may separate from the retina.
When this occurs, it can cause a person to see floaters, flashes of light, or stars. Photopsia caused by PVD is commonly seen as streaks of light, usually at the side of the field of vision, also known as peripheral vision. PVD can cause retinal tears, holes, and retinal detachment, so it should be followed up properly with an eye doctor even though it is a normal part of the aging process.
Your healthcare provider would monitor you for signs of retinal detachment, holes, and tears early on in the first few weeks of a PVD.
Problems with the retina can cause you to see stars, flashes, or bands of light. A retinal detachment is one such condition. It occurs when the retina is pulled away from its normal position in the eye. Symptoms of a detached retina come on quickly. If you experience these symptoms, see an eye healthcare provider or go to the emergency room. If a detached retina is not treated promptly, it can lead to further damage.
In addition, a delay in treatment increases the risk of permanent vision loss or blindness. Other retinal conditions that affect the function of the eye can cause gradual vision loss. This can cause an effect of seeing stars. These include:. Certain medications also can alter the function of the retina in ways that produce phosphenes.
One such drug is Corlanor ivabradine , which is used to treat tachycardia rapid heart rate. Visual changes known as auras are a common symptom of migraine headaches. An aura typically lasts about 20 to 30 minutes and then goes away on its own, without any treatment. With some migraines, a visual aura may occur without head pain. These are called ocular migraines. The aura can affect one or both eyes and can appear as:.
If a headache follows the flashes, the episode is diagnosed as a migraine headache. However, if these flashes or lines of light occur without a headache, it is often described as a migraine without a headache. While less common, phosphenes can occur due to dysfunction of the visual areas of the brain.
This may occur as a result of a lack of blood flow or damage to the brain. Cerebrovascular disease blood vessel disease in the brain or systemic low blood pressure can result in reduced blood supply to the brain, and consequently, diminished brain function. Orthostatic hypotension, also called postural hypotension , is a sudden drop in blood pressure. This typically occurs when someone who already has high or low blood pressure rapidly moves from lying down or sitting to standing up.
This drop in blood supply can briefly impair brain function, causing flashing lights or similar phenomena for a few seconds. The phenomenon of seeing stars is known as photopsia. The individual flashes of lights are called phosphenes. Phosphenes occur when pressure on the eye stimulates the retina. The retina is a light-regulating structure in the eye.
Pressure can be caused by an external force, such as rubbing your eyes, or an internal structural problem or inflammation. Photopsia can also occur with migraines, changes in blood pressure, a lack of blood flow to the brain, or brain damage.
Photopsia is usually harmless. However, if you see frequent flashes of light, it can be a warning sign of something more serious. If you experience this, see your healthcare provider right away. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Depending on the extent of the traction, tear or detachment, these flashes of light might be short-lived or continue indefinitely until the retina is repaired.
Flashes of light photopsias also may occur after a blow to the head that is capable of shaking the vitreous gel inside the eye. When this occurs, the phenomenon sometimes is called " seeing stars. Some people experience flashes of light that appear as jagged lines or "heat waves" in both eyes, often lasting 10 to 20 minutes.
These types of flashes are usually caused by a spasm of blood vessels in the brain. If a headache follows the visual disturbances including flashes of light , it is called a migraine with aura. But if the flashes occur without a subsequent headache, this is called an ocular migraine. Photopsia also can be a symptom of digitalis toxicity, which can occur particularly in older people who take digitalis or related drugs for heart problems. When a PVD is accompanied by bleeding inside the eye vitreous hemorrhage , it means the traction that occurred may have torn a small blood vessel in the retina.
A vitreous hemorrhage increases the possibility of a retinal tear or detachment. Traction exerted on the retina during a PVD also can lead to development of conditions such as macular holes or puckers. Inflammation associated with many conditions such as eye infections can cause the vitreous to liquefy, leading to a PVD.
When you are nearsighted, your eye's elongated shape also can increase the likelihood of a PVD and accompanying traction on the retina. In fact, nearsighted people are more likely to have PVDs at a younger age. PVDs are very common following cataract surgery and a follow-up procedure called a YAG laser capsulotomy. Months or even years after cataract surgery, it's not unusual for the thin membrane or "capsule" that's left intact behind the intraocular lens IOL to become cloudy, affecting vision.
This delayed cataract surgery complication is called posterior capsular opacification PCO. In the capsulotomy procedure used to treat PCO, a special type of laser focuses energy onto the cloudy capsule, vaporizing the central portion of it to create a clear path for light to reach the retina, which restores clear vision.
Manipulations of the eye during cataract surgery and YAG laser capsulotomy procedures cause traction that can lead to posterior vitreous detachments. Most eye floaters and spots are harmless and merely annoying. Many floaters will fade over time and become less bothersome. In most cases, no eye floater treatment is required. However, large persistent floaters can be very troubling to some people, causing them to seek a way to get rid of eye floaters and spots drifting in their field of view.
In the past, the only treatment for eye floaters was an invasive surgical procedure called a vitrectomy. In this procedure, some or all of the vitreous is removed from the eye along with the eye floaters within it and is replaced with a sterile clear fluid.
But the risks of a vitrectomy can outweigh the benefits for eye floater treatment. These risks include surgically induced retinal detachment and serious eye infections.
On rare occasions, vitrectomy surgery can cause new or even more floaters. For these reasons, most eye surgeons do not recommend vitrectomy to treat eye floaters and spots. A less invasive laser procedure called laser vitreolysis is usually a much safer alternative to vitrectomy for eye floater treatment. To determine if you may benefit from laser vitreolysis to get rid of eye floaters, your eye doctor will consider several factors, including:.
The floaters in patients younger than age 45 tend to be located too close to the retina and can't be safely treated with laser vitreolysis.
Patients with sizable eye floaters located farther away from the retina are better suited to the procedure. The ophthalmologist who performs laser vitreolysis also will evaluate the shape and borders of your eye floaters. Those with "soft" borders often can be treated successfully. Likewise, sizable floaters that appear suddenly as a result of a posterior vitreous detachment often can be successfully treated with the laser procedure. Laser vitreolysis usually is pain-free and can be performed in your ophthalmologist's office.
Just prior to the treatment, anesthetic eye drops are applied and a special type of contact lens is placed on your eye. Then, the doctor will look through a biomicroscope slit lamp to precisely deliver the laser energy to the floaters being treated. During the procedure, you might notice dark spots. These are pieces of broken up floaters.
The treatment can take up to a half hour, but it's usually significantly shorter. At the end of the procedure, the contact lens is removed, your eye is rinsed with saline and the doctor will apply an anti-inflammatory eye drop.
Additional eye drops may be prescribed for you to use at home. Sometimes, you may see small dark spots shortly after treatment. These are small gas bubbles that tend to resolve quickly. There also is a chance that you'll have some mild discomfort, redness or blurry vision immediately after the procedure.
These effects are common and typically won't prevent you from returning to your normal activities immediately following laser vitreolysis. Your doctor will usually schedule follow-up for the following day. At that time, you may need a second treatment. If you are bothered by large, persistent eye floaters, ask your eye doctor if laser vitreolysis might be a good treatment option for your situation.
Remember, a sudden appearance of a significant number of eye floaters, especially if they are accompanied by flashes of light or other visual disturbances, could indicate a detached retina or other serious problem in the eye. If you suddenly see new floaters, visit your eye doctor without delay. Photopsias: a key to diagnosis.
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