Photopsia

Photopsia describes a visual disturbance commonly referred to as "seeing stars." It can occur when temporary pressure is placed on the retina of the eye (such as when you sneeze hard), causing momentary flashes of light in the absence of a light source.

You might see sparkles, prisms, or streaks of light that look like lightning bolts.

Photopsia can also occur with a migraine headache, stress, brain-related circulation problems, or conditions affecting the retina or the gel-like substance inside the eye called the vitreous.

Seeing stars in vision for no reason

This article describes some of the possible causes of photopsia, both common and uncommon, and what can be done to treat these conditions.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Vision Loss?

Why Am I Seeing Stars?

When the lining in the back of your eye—called the retina—senses light, it sends messages to the optic nerve. The optic nerve then relays these messages to the brain, which identifies the image.

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