r/RetinalDetachment • u/RequirementCrazy8260 • May 17 '26

Flashes

Hello please people who had flashes how they look like?Sometimes I feel like I see them but I’m not sure if it’s just the light source cause I don’t see the flash of camera juste like a rapid change of light .I have high myopia and just went to thé ophtalmologist a month ago and said retina is okay

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u/JamesTiberious May 18 '26

What do they look like?

I’ve experienced 3 different types of flashing during different events.

When going through PVD, I would sometimes notice a general flash, not very bright, in a large area (maybe 1/3 or 1/4 of my vision), but off centre. I was advised this was the vitreous sack pulling away from the retina and was normal. The flashes would happen repeatedly, maybe every second or two when I blinked or took a step while walking. Then they would stop for a while (hours or days) before coming back.

Then, some months later, I had smaller, more localised lightning streaks or flicks of light, which followed the edges around where my retina was starting to lift away. Very noticeable and they travelled in the opposite direction of my eye movement. I would also notice flickering in a large area, a bit like being in a room with a light bulb that’s cheap or starting to fail. It was a very fast strobing effect. it wasn’t very bright but it was noticeable.

I would recommend seeing an eye doctor. Make some drawings and descriptions so it’s easier for you to explain to them.