When you see 'stars', what are you actually seeing?

[aphex]

Like when you get hit in the head, or right when ya wake up...... what are those stars you see??

I got it in the shower today when the hot water died and switched to freezing cold..... Saw stars for about 15 seconds...

 

[pray4mojo]

I've never seen these "stars" before.

pics?

 

[Nocturnal]

I usually get this if I rush from sitting down to standing up. Or random fast moving will make me see stars. Bump cuz I'd like to know what these things I see are too.

 

[hjo3]

Nerves misfiring or something. Sometimes I see 'em if I sneeze really hard. I figure it's the eye-version of pins-and-needles or something.

 

[Nocturnal]

Originally posted by: pray4mojo
I've never seen these "stars" before.

pics?

Pics would be pretty much impossible.

 

[sillymofo]

Originally posted by: aphex
Like when you get hit in the head, or right when ya wake up...... what are those stars you see?? I got it in the shower today when the hot water died and switched to freezing cold..... Saw stars for about 15 seconds...

Not too sure, but I think it's some kinda electric (? molecular level?) interaction between cells?

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Its the firing of neurons in the visual cortex as a result of impact

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
I usually get this if I rush from sitting down to standing up. Or random fast moving will make me see stars. Bump cuz I'd like to know what these things I see are too.

That's from having all the blood drain from your brain and it not getting enough oxygen. It can actually make you pass out (happened to me once). When you lay down, your heart and blood vessels basically "take five" and don't have to work very hard. If you get up really quickly, gravity reacts instantly, but your heart needs some time to react.

 

[bunker]

Cut and pasted from some eyesite web page pdf file:

What causes flashing lights?
The vitreous sometimes pulls on the retina. This may cause you to see flashing
lights or lightning streaks, even though there aren?t any such lights
present. This is the same thing that occurs when you get hit in the eye and
?see stars? or when you rub your eye. When the vitreous separates from the
retina, you may see flashing lights once in a while, for a few weeks.

 

[GermyBoy]

Everything turns green for me.