Flashing light sensitivity: what to know

Sensitivity may feel like squinting, eye pain, headache, nausea, or an urge to avoid bright or flickering light. Migraine can cause light sensitivity with or without a headache. Conjunctivitis may cause redness, discharge, gritty discomfort, and sensitivity. A new curtain-like shadow, many floaters, or repeated flashes may point to a problem inside the eye. Light sensitivity with fever, stiff neck, confusion, or a severe headache is a medical warning.

Move away from the trigger, lower screen brightness, and use steady, comfortable lighting rather than staring into darkness. Rest your eyes and keep a record of timing, duration, headache, visual changes, medicines, and possible triggers. Avoid driving if flashing lights disturb vision. Do not use another person’s eye drops, particularly drops containing antibiotics or steroids.

Seek emergency care for sudden vision loss, a dark curtain or shadow, severe eye pain, eye injury, a new severe headache, weakness, speech trouble, seizure, confusion, fever, or a stiff neck. Arrange an eye or medical assessment for new, persistent, one-sided, or worsening sensitivity, especially with redness, discharge, floaters, or repeated flashes. Prompt examination helps separate migraine from eye and neurological causes.

Could this be migraine, an eye-surface problem, or an issue inside the eye? Do my flashes or visual changes require an urgent eye examination? Which symptoms should make me stop driving and seek emergency help?