Phosphenes are those flashes, spots, or patterns of light you see without any actual light entering your eyes. Whether you can get rid of them depends entirely on what’s causing them. Some phosphenes are harmless and temporary, disappearing on their own or when you stop the trigger. Others signal something in your eye or brain that needs medical attention. The key is figuring out which category yours falls into.
Phosphenes From Eye Rubbing or Pressure
The most common phosphenes are mechanical: you rub your eyes, sneeze hard, or press on your eyelids, and you see brief bursts of light or color. These happen because physical pressure stimulates the light-sensitive cells in your retina directly, making them fire signals to your brain as if real light hit them.
These are completely harmless and stop as soon as the pressure stops. The fix is simple: stop rubbing your eyes. If you rub them frequently out of habit or because of dryness or allergies, treating the underlying itch or irritation will reduce the trigger. Lubricating eye drops for dryness or antihistamine drops for allergies can help break the cycle. Chronic, forceful eye rubbing can actually damage your cornea over time, so it’s worth addressing even if the phosphenes themselves are benign.
Phosphenes From Migraine Aura
If you see zigzag lines, shimmering spots, or expanding arcs of light before or during a headache, your phosphenes are likely part of a migraine aura. These visual disturbances come from a wave of electrical activity spreading across the visual processing area of your brain, not from anything wrong with your eyes.
During an episode, the best immediate response is to stop what you’re doing and rest in a dark, quiet room. This won’t eliminate the aura, but it can ease the discomfort and shorten the overall migraine experience. Common triggers include bright lights, certain foods, hormonal changes, sleep disruption, and stress. Tracking your triggers with a headache diary and avoiding them is the most practical first step toward reducing how often these phosphenes occur.
For people with frequent migraines, preventive treatments can significantly reduce episodes. Blood pressure medications like beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers are commonly prescribed for prevention. Injections that target a pain-signaling protein (CGRP) given monthly or quarterly have become a popular option in recent years. Supplements also play a role: magnesium in particular may help interrupt a visual aura and reduce pain, while CoQ10 and riboflavin (vitamin B2) are sometimes recommended as add-ons. Talk to your provider before starting supplements, as they can interact with other medications.
Phosphenes From Vitreous Changes in the Eye
As you age, the gel-like substance filling your eye (the vitreous) shrinks and pulls away from the retina. This process, called posterior vitreous detachment, is extremely common after age 50 and often causes sudden flashes of light, especially in the corner of your vision. You may also notice new floaters: dark spots or strands drifting across your field of view.
No specific treatment is needed for this condition. In most cases, the flashes and floaters settle down within three months as the vitreous fully separates and your brain adapts. Most people stop noticing flashes after that window, and floaters gradually become less bothersome. One or more eye checkups within the first three months are recommended, though, because the pulling vitreous can occasionally tear the retina.
Nutritional Support for Vitreous Health
Some research suggests that targeted supplementation may help with vitreous-related symptoms like floaters. In a 2021 randomized clinical trial, 61 patients with symptomatic floaters took a daily supplement containing L-lysine, vitamin C, grape seed extract, zinc, and bitter orange extract. After six months, about two-thirds of the treatment group reported meaningful improvement, compared to essentially no change in the group taking a placebo. The supplement group also showed measurable reductions in the area of vitreous opacities and improvements in contrast sensitivity.
A larger 2018 study of 463 patients using a similar formulation found that nearly 91% reported some degree of improvement after three months. The proposed mechanism involves lysine’s ability to block a process called glycation, where sugar molecules damage collagen proteins in the vitreous and cause them to clump together into visible floaters. In laboratory studies, lysine showed 76% effectiveness at preventing this collagen damage. These results are promising but still preliminary, and the supplements address floaters more than flashes specifically.
Phosphenes From Medication
Certain medications cause phosphenes as a known side effect. The heart medication ivabradine is the most well-documented example. It can cause temporary visual brightness or flashes, particularly when light levels change suddenly, like driving through a tunnel or stepping from a dim room into sunlight. These effects typically appear within the first two months of treatment and often diminish as your body adjusts to the medication.
If a medication is causing bothersome phosphenes, don’t stop taking it on your own. Your prescriber can adjust the dose or discuss alternatives. In many cases, these visual effects fade with time and don’t require any medication changes.
When Phosphenes Signal Something Serious
Most phosphenes are harmless, but certain patterns demand prompt attention. A sudden increase in flashes, a shower of new floaters, or a dark shadow or curtain creeping across your vision can indicate a retinal tear or detachment. This is an emergency: the retina is peeling away from the back of your eye, and without treatment, it can lead to permanent vision loss.
Retinal detachment requires surgical repair. The three main approaches all aim to reattach the retina and seal any tears. If the central part of the retina (the macula) hasn’t detached before surgery, vision is typically preserved. If it has detached, recovery depends on how long it was separated and the extent of the damage. This is why speed matters: getting evaluated within hours, not days, gives you the best chance of a full recovery.
You should also see an eye care provider if your phosphenes come with double vision, blurry vision, or if you have diabetes. Diabetic eye disease can cause changes inside the eye that produce flashes and floaters, and catching these changes early is critical for protecting your sight. As a general rule, phosphenes that happen only when you rub your eyes or that show up briefly when you close your eyes at night are rarely concerning. Phosphenes that appear spontaneously during the day, increase in frequency, or come with other visual changes are worth having checked.