I had the light flashing thing - saw an optamologist. It needed to be checked because of the possibility of a detached retina. It was fine. I forget what the condition is called, but it persisted for several weeks and then spontaneously cleared up.

Go see an Optomologist. Chances are it's nothing, but it could be the beginning of a detached retina. If you experience sharp eye pains don't wait for an office visit..get to an ER immediately. As far as floaters, everyone my age has them. Other than being bothersome i don't think they will cause vision loss.

Thank you for the info. I am making an appointment in the morning. Why are most medical problems on Fri thru Sun? Then you have to wonder all week end!!!!!!! Our Dr isn't in on Fridays, so they are probably busy on Mondays. Thanks a lot. Ruth Ann

Ruth Ann, Here's some more information on Vitreous Detachment, along with a diagram.

Good luck on your eye-exam.
~Meg

Ruth Ann, how did your eye exam go?
Everything ok?

~Meg

The Dr was 'out of town' last week. So I have to call tomorrow morning. I'll let you know. I still see the light after dark.

That's what happened to my husband a few years ago. He didn't need any treatment but did have a comprehensive eye exam.

I'm wondering why you need to call your doctor's office again just because he was "out of town" last week. Is the whole office out of town so that someone cannot make an appointment for you? I don't understand how some doctors offices work today. A friend of mine faxes all her communication to her doctors, it's the best way to reach them. Mine I can easily reach by phone. One of mine, an internist, comes to the waiting room to call his patients in! How many doctors do that?!?

Best wishes with your eye exam.

Jen

Those symptomns could also be from a tear or tears in your retina. Don't delay being checked. My tears were repaired with laser surgery. ~abreeze

RuthAnn...How'd everything turn out?

Last summer I had a really bad floater come in my eye (still there). I went to an Optimaligist(sp) & on the 2nd visit told I had a torn retina. That was repaired with laser.. no big deal. I also have the lights mentioned above & was told the same things Tropical_Muse posted above. I go to the dr every 6 months & always told my eye is fine. I hope RuthAnn has seen a Dr.
Dar

I went to the optometrist yesterday for a new prescription and I told the doctor that I had seen flashing lights a while back which lasted for a few days.

He checked for a detached retina and said I was okay. He did, however, say that if it happens again to check which eye is causing it and if it happens more if I look in a certain direction. Also, he said that I am to come in to see him immediately.

One other cause for this could be a migraine headache in the eyes. He used another term which I don't remember.

Marie, was the term "opthalmic migraine"? I get them once in a while, once or twice a year. Fortunately, never when I am driving!! Usually there is no headache but the last time I did have a mild headache after the flashing lights went away.

Well, I HAVE gotten them while driving, usually at twilight or in rainy whether, when the strobing of headlights bothers me. It almost scared me to death the first time it happened, but I realized that I can actually see THROUGH the visual disturbances. Like Jenn, I only get them once or twice a year.

I consider myself lucky - my husband, mother and sister all suffer from migraine headaches, and the visual migraine without the headache is much easier to deal with.

I got something like that for the first time last night. It seemed like a lightning bolt flying by peripherally. I had a comprehensive eye exam in December, and everything was fine. I am farsighted, and use glasses for reading. This is making me a little nervous.

We have had several threads at this forum on flashers and floaters. The most important thing is to be checked out immediately to be sure you do not have a retinal tear, which can lead to blindness.

I got an appointment for Sunday morning (my eyedoctor is at Lenscrafters). I don't have any pain, and my vision seems the same; it's just these flashes that are concerning me.

Hi, Sorry I have never followed up with this. I don't know why I didn't. I went to a specialist and he said it was OK, just to keep having it checked occasionally. I see an arc of light in my other eye now. I don't see them to often, but that's because I hole up after dark. It's usually when I'm outside in the dark that I see them. It has never really bothered me. Ruth Ann

I saw my eye doctor yesterday. He dilated my eyes, and took tests. He said there are no retinal tears, but the vitreous gel is shrinking (happens with age), and that's causing the flashing and floaters. I have to go back in 2 months for a follow up visit.

I have a transient "bubbly" short arc of dull light that appears to the lower right of my left eye when I look quickly from side to side. It happens upon awakening in the morning and occasionally during the day lasting only a minute or two. I also have transient floaters in that eye. It started ten days ago. I have seen my doctor and opthalmist, both found nothing wrong and could not even detect any floaters.
My opthalmist suggested I see a retinal specialist but I am waiting to see if I can produce the effect at will so he has something to go on.
I have had one day with no symptoms at all. My blood pressure is normal and only take anti-histamines for my hayfever (which is bad at the moment). I do have a dull headache most of the time but attribute this to heyfever. I am in my sixties.
It does not get any worse or better and appears randomly during the day but does seem connected with sudden downward movement of my head but it is difficult to force an occurence.
I will let you know how things go.

I have the same thing, in fact, this is how I first noted my floater coming on, 2 years ago. My large floater has faded somewhat, but I still have the flash of light in the lower corner of the same eye, particularly in the dark.

Please do let us know what your doctors say about this.

NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS WOULD I HAVE THOUGHT THE EXACT PROBLEM TO COME UP RIGHT AWAY. MY EYE SCARED ME WHEN I SAW THE ARC 4 THE 1ST TIME'&IT ALSO HURT A LITTLE.AND WHY DID IT ONLY HAPPEN IN THE BEDROOM AT NIGHT? READING "MY ARCING EYE" WAS A GOD-SEND. MADE UP MY MIND TO CALL THE EYE DR. ON MONDAY MORN. GAVE ME APPT. FOR THAT DAY.. THE DR SAID IT WAS A VITREOUS DETACHMENT,BUT HE WANTS TO CHECK IT IN A MONTH AGAIN. GRATEFULLY, I SAY THANK YOU TO"MY ARCING EYE AND ALL THE OTHER ANSWERS THAT PERTAIN TO IT. IT HELPED ME SLEEP BETTER THAT NIGHT.

FORGOT TO SAY THAT THE DIM LIGHT IN OUR BEDROOM MAKES IT SHOW UP. HAVE LIGHTS ON IN DAY SO IT REALLY DOESN'T BOTHER ME.THIS IS WHAT THE DR SAID. THANK U ALL AGAIN

Hello... I am scared. Please- can someone help me?

For one week now, I've been having floaters in my right eye and occasional flashes of light in the far corner of my eye.
The flashes of light are only visible in a dark room and only when I very quickly turn my head from side to side.

Thanks for "my arcing eye". It is 2017 and I have the arc of light in the right eye for 3 days on & off with floaters & now a mild headache. Eye appointment previously scheduled in Feb 2017 & can't get in sooner so reading all of your helpful comments eased my mind. I also know now to go to emergency room if gets worse.

Not to scare anyone but this can also be a symptom of uveitis. I was diagnosed with Birdshot Uveitis (very rare) after seeing floaters and flashes of light- specifically an arching light in my peripheral vision in the dark when I turned my head quickly. It took 4 different doctors - including a neuro ophthalmologist, a retina specialist and a uveitis specialist to exam me before I was finally diagnosed. Posterior uveitis can be blinding if not treated. Go to a retina specialist for the most comprehensive exam. Most of the time it is not a disease simply a vitreous detachment but better to make sure than go untreated.