When you stare at flashing lights, the flashing lights that you stare at can result in eye strain, headaches and temporary discomfort.
For some people, staring at flashing lights can trigger seizures and other serious issues, especially if the person has photosensitive epilepsy.
Staring at flashing lights can also cause flicker vertigo, which is a disorientation and nausea inducing effect that is triggered by lights that flash at certain frequencies.
In some other cases, seeing sudden flashing lights can also be a symptom of retinal detachment which is a medical emergency.
Bright or flickering lights can often cause eye strain and temporary discomfort, so it's best to avoid staring at or looking at flashing lights.
For around 3 percent of people with epilepsy, the exposure to flashing lights at certain intensities or certain visual patterns can also trigger seizures.
Prolonged or repeated exposure to flashing lights can result in headaches or migraines.
For a small number of the population, flashing lights can trigger seizures, which is known as photosensitive epilepsy and is more likely to occur with bright, rapid and repetitive light flashes between 3 hertz and 60 hertz.
Flicker vertigo that can occur with staring at flashing lights is a feeling of nausea and disorientation that is caused by the light's frequency that interferes with your brain wave patterns.
This can then result in and cause rapid eye movements, disorientation and dizziness.
Seeing flashing lights for a few seconds by staring at the flashing lights for a few seconds is likely to only cause temporary issues.
But prolonged staring or repeated staring at flashing lights can cause more serious issues.