Why do I see squares when I rub my eyes?

Question

I've never quite figured it out, how come I don't see random squiggles instead of a checkerboard pattern?

Answer 1

because youre eye lids let in a bit of light from your surroundings

Answer 2

I always see a Rubik's cube.

Answer 3

I dunno, I always see lots of orangey-yellow spots if I rub my eyes and don't know why lol

Answer 4

stop poking yourself in the face with a chessboard then ;-)

Answer 5

your eyes are re- focusing

Answer 6

What you're seeing are phosphenes. These can take many shapes from squares to squiggles to circles to ... and they can morph into one another. The most likely explanation of phosphenes is that when you close your eyes and rub the eyelids, the pressure blocks your retina from processing light. Optical signals to the brain then stop, and the brain fires off 'information' from its cortex to fill the gap. The brain patterns everything and couldn't produce unpatterned 'information'. In your case, and often in mine too, it serves up a chequerboard pattern of images. I don't think we have the deep science to explain why you and I see chequerboard pattens and other people see squiggles and the rest - in other words a science to explain the variations.