If a person has a retinal tear how often will a person usually see flashes?

It Depends: Flashes and floaters are the most common symptoms of a retinal tear. A retinal tear, however, may be completely asymptomatic. We recommend to patients with new flashes/floaters that they contact their eye doctor and get examined.

See below: Flashes, floaters, and/or loss of peripheral vision (like a curtain or veil obscuring your vision) indicate a need for an urgent dilated retinal examination to rule out a retinal tear or detachment. Rarely, one can have a retinal tears without any symptoms.