You might see sparkles, prisms, or streaks of light that look like lightning bolts.
Verywell / Joshua Seong
Why Am I Seeing Stars?
When the lining in the back of your eyecalled the retinasenses light, it sends messages to theoptic nerve.
Verywell / Joshua Seong
The optic nerve then relays these messages to the brain, which identifies the image.
When you are seeing stars or sparkles, something other than visible light is stimulating the retina.
These false flashes are known asphosphenes.
Phosphenes can be triggered by pressing the eyes, which shifts the vitreous and compresses the retina.
They can also happen when nerve cells (neurons) in the eye or brain are abnormally stimulated.
Pressure on your eyes is the most common cause of photopsia.
This jelly-like substance is attached to the retina and helps keep the eyeball plump.
These disturbances usually occur at the outer edge of your field of vision (called yourperipheral vision).
As PVD is a normal part of aging, no specific treatment is needed.
Rare complications such as retinal detachment or tears may require urgent surgery.
Migraines
Seeing stars is also common withmigraineheadaches.
These are calledocular migrainesand can affect either one or both eyes.
Anxiety
Photopsia can also occur with extreme stress.
With anxiety, your body will release a hormone calledcortisolthat triggers the “fight-or-flight response.”
This is the response that helps you face a perceived or actual threat.
When this happens, the sudden dilation can shift the vitreous and trigger photopsia.
Stress-induced photopsia mainly affects middle-aged people who often have aging-related eye conditions.
One example isretinitis pigmentosa(RP), a rare eye disease mainly affecting adults in their 40s.
Serious Causes of Photopsia
Sometimes a more serious condition can cause you to see stars.
Retinal Detachment
You may see stars, flashes, or bands of light if you haveretinal detachment.
This is a medical emergency in which the retina pulls away from its normal position in the eye.
Left untreated, a detached retina can lead to permanent vision loss.
This damages the macula far quicker than an earlier stage of the disease, calleddry macular degeneration.
Preeclampsia
Preeclampsiais persistent high blood pressure that develops during pregnancy, usually after week 20.
In addition to headaches and abdominal pain, people with preeclampsia often experience blurred vision or flashing lights.
This may be due to increased pressures placed on the blood vessels servicing the retina.
The individual flashes of light are called phosphenes.
Usually, seeing stars is due to temporary pressure on the eye.
This is typically harmless and only lasts for a few seconds.
However, if you see stars often or they last for a long time, see your provider.
You may need treatment for an underlying cause like migraine or a retinal disorder.
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