Cause of seeing flashing light when blinking?

[jessica921]

For the past year, i have developed something in which I will randomly and suddenly see what looks like what you see after a camera flash, every time I blink (including when the eye is closed). It happens in one eye at a time. It lasts between 5 seconds and a few minutes. Sometimes the flash is much brighter than others, it is usually purple or yellow.
I have had it before having migraine pain, but I have had it also without any pain at all. It happens once or a few times in a day, sometimes for a few days in a row or every other day for a few days.
I am wondering what the cause is. Is it a migraine? Is there something that I am eating that could trigger this? Can anxiety cause this? Is it another neurological problem? I went to an optometrist for a basic test and he said I was fine; I never went back for a field test because I became convinced it was not in my eye, as when it happens I see it also when my eye is closed. I do have an anxiety disorder, but I am not convinced this is all in my head.

[Popie123]

And any updates of this ?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

No posts or reply in 6 years. If you have a problem start a new post

[Popie123]

What anxiety disorder do you suffer from

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

This is most likely in the retina and is probably a variant of an entoptic phenomenon.  Google the term.

Dr. O