Seeing Flashes of Light
Free Symptom Checker
with Physician-supervised AI

Reviewed By:

Masashi Mimura

Masashi Mimura, MD (Ophthalmology)

Dr. Mimura Graduated from the Osaka Medical College and obtained his ophthalmologist certification in 2007. He opened an outpatient clinic for oculoplastic and reconstructive surgery at Osaka Kaijo Hospital. Subsequently, he was appointed as the assistant professor at the Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka Medical College, in 2014. He then served an international fellowship at the Department of Ophthalmology/Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgery, California State University, San Diego. Since then, he has been appointed as Lecturer in the Departments of Ophthalmology at Osaka Medical College and Toho University Medical Center Sakura Hospital. Dr. Mimura is currently the Director of Oculofacial Clinic Osaka, where he specializes in Oculofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

From our team of 50+ doctors

Please choose the symptom you are most concerned about.

It will help us optimise further questions for you.

By starting the symptom checker, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use

Find another symptom

How Ubie can help you

With an easy 3-min questionnaire, Ubie's AI-powered system will generate a free report on possible causes.

  • Over 1,000 medical centers, trained by over 50 doctors, and still improving.

  • Questions are customized to your situation and symptoms

Your symptoms

Input your symptoms

Our AI

Our AI checks your symptoms

Your report

You get your personalized report

Personalized Report

✔︎  When to see a doctor

✔︎  What causes your symptoms

✔︎  Treatment information etc.

People with these symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes

  • Seeing spots of light that expand for 15-30 minutes before disappearing

  • Seeing jagged spots of light, like the teeth of a saw

Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.

Learn More

Content updated on Jan 4, 2023

When to see a doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

  • Seeing flashes of light

Possible causes

  • Cataracts

    Degeneration of the lens inside the eye causes it to become opaque. As a result, lights appear glaring and vision becomes blurred. In older adults, cataracts are usually caused by aging. In children, however, they may be due to genetic conditions, drugs, or viral infections while in the womb.

  • Diabetic retinopathy

    Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that causes vision loss in patients with diabetes due to damage to the blood vessels in the retina. Your retina is a thin layer of tissue that lines the back of your eyes and is responsible for turning the light signals your eyes receive into images in your brain. These damaged vessels in the retina result in blurred vision or even vision loss.

  • Macular edema

    Macular edema is the accumulation of fluid in the macula, the part of your retina responsible for central vision. It occurs when fluid leads to swelling in the macula, causing blurred vision and vision loss in severe cases. Common causes of macular edema include blockages in retinal arteries or veins and diabetes.

  • Pathologic myopia

  • Diabetic macular edema (DME)

  • Severe myopia
  • Central retinal vein occlusion
  • Age-related macular degeneration
  • Multiple sclerosis (MS)

Related serious diseases

  • Retinal detachment

    An eye condition causing holes in vision when looking at objects. It is due to the retina (sensing layer of the eye) peeling off, usually because of aging, eye injury, or diabetes.

Questions your doctor may ask about this symptom

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom

  • Do you see flickering or flashes of light even when you are in a dark room?

  • Do you have headaches or does your head feel heavy?

  • Do you have redness, pain, or itching in your eyes?

  • Do you see tiny shapes or dots floating around in your vision (sometimes appearing like insects)?

  • Do you have problems moving your eyes in a specific direction?

Other Related Symptoms

Similar symptoms or complaints

Reviewed By:

Masashi Mimura

Masashi Mimura, MD (Ophthalmology)

Dr. Mimura Graduated from the Osaka Medical College and obtained his ophthalmologist certification in 2007. He opened an outpatient clinic for oculoplastic and reconstructive surgery at Osaka Kaijo Hospital. Subsequently, he was appointed as the assistant professor at the Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka Medical College, in 2014. He then served an international fellowship at the Department of Ophthalmology/Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgery, California State University, San Diego. Since then, he has been appointed as Lecturer in the Departments of Ophthalmology at Osaka Medical College and Toho University Medical Center Sakura Hospital. Dr. Mimura is currently the Director of Oculofacial Clinic Osaka, where he specializes in Oculofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

From our team of 50+ doctors

User testimonials

Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.

Ubie is supervised by 50+ medical experts worldwide

Shohei Harase

Shohei Harase, MD

Neurology

Kameda Medical Center, Japan

Yu Shirai

Yu Shirai, MD

Psychiatry

Yotsuya Yui Clinic, Japan

Yoshinori Abe

Yoshinori Abe, MD

Internal medicine

Co-founder of Ubie, Inc.

Rohini R

Rohini R, MD

Ear, nose, throat (ENT)

Bayshore Health Centre, India

Seiji Kanazawa

Seiji Kanazawa, MD, PHD

Obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN)

National Center for Child Health and Development, Japan

View our medical experts