Seeing embers in my vision

[Michael719]

For more than a year now, my vision has been flooded with lines or dots of light that behave like embers. They don't follow my line of vision, but they are especially visible when I look up at the sky. When I am in a room, I sometimes seen one bright line of light that moves in a fast,squiggly type of motion and then it disappears. I also experience minor headaches most days.

[AnnaE]

They could be except that he says they behave like embers. He also experiences a flash of light. He should see an eye MD right away. These cannot be dismissed as floaters.

[Sandy Feldman, MD, MS]

Dear Michael1719,

What you are experiencing may be floaters or a migraine.  I would definitely recommend that you see an eyeMD to determine the cause.  Let the doctor know whether you experience flashing lights with your eyes closed, a sudden change in the number of spots that you see, or a curtain coming down.  You do not mention how long these lights appear.

Sandy T. Feldman, M.D., M.S.
ClearView Eye and Laser Medical Center
San Diego, California

[hotcakes22]

The and dots lines are floaters, which are breakups in the vitreous of the eye caused by aging and excessive exposure to sunlight.