I'm not really sure what you mean. But I can give a brief explanation of how humans perceive light.
Basically light can be considered as a collection of particles called photons travelling in one direction really fast, and these particles can interact with other matter. Within your eye there are receptors cells that have mechanisms that absorb the energy a photon carries, and converts that into an electrical signal that is sent to your brain.
The way this mechanism works is really ingenious, as humans have to deal with a load of different amounts of light. There are going to be way more photons in the middle of the day than if the sun is setting, for example. Therefore the receptor cells in your eyes can change how sensitive they are to light, which means you can see things with the same amount of detail at pretty much anytime of day.
Now if you shine a really bright light into an eye that's been looking at a relatively dim light, you're going to get a whole load of signals, because the receptor cells can't adjust to the increase in light that quickly. Which would lead to what I think you're describing.
Also, an interesting thing to note is that the receptor cells can also be set off by pressure/touch, so if you've ever rubbed your eyes and seen a few stars, that's why.
