Phosphenes are the little flashes or patterns of light you see even when your eyes are closed.
These phenomena arise from nerve stimulation, not from light actually entering the eyes.
For example, gently pressing your closed eyes can make you see bright spots or strange shapes.
When nerve signals are received, your brain interprets them as "Aha, light!" despite no external light being present.
Just like tapping a microphone produces a sound, the system is affected and generates a signal.
So, a phosphene is basically your visual system making you see light without real light being present.[1]
Select a year and month above to explore cold archived discussions.
Please select an archived topic above to view the discussion logs.