Especially as we age, many people see occasional flashes of light. These occasional flashes are usually harmless, but you should discuss them with your eye doctor. However, if you suddenly start seeing repeated flashes of light and vision changes this could be a serious problem.
Call your doctor right away if:
- You see sudden flashes when you haven’t before.
- You have a sudden increase in flashes of light.
- You see flashes of light along with cloudiness or dark spots in your vision.
- You have a dark area or ‘curtain’ across your vision.
- You see flashes of light after being hit in the eye or face.
Suddenly seeing new floaters and flashes could mean you have a torn or detached retina. If this happens, you must see your eye doctor quickly and your eye doctor will refer you to a retina specialist.