You only get one set of eyes, so you must be so careful. I started seeing flashing lights on the periphery of one eye recently. It alarmed me, so when it continued for a week, usually most apparent at night, I called the Opthomologist. He too was concerned, and I was in his office in less than three hours.
Here's what I found out. There is a vitreous gel inside your eye, that may dry up as you age. The gel may pull or rub on your retina, causing the flashing lights. This may appear on and off for as much as several months. It's a normal part of aging. Usually it is not dangerous.
What I was worried about was a detached retina. This is a possibility, that's why if the condition continues too long or gets worse, or more floaters (which may or may not be present) are present, it's time to get to the eye doctor immediately. A tear in the retina can cause diminished vision or worse. To me, eyes are not something to fool around with. I'm glad I went to the doctor right away. He eased my mind, after giving me a complete examination. Still, he referred me to a retina specialist, just to be sure. I love my doctors, they so thorough, and don't leave any stone unturned. As we age, so do our eyes, and we've got to give the same attention to them as we do to the other parts of our body!
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