Flashes & Floaters


What are floaters and flashes?
Floaters appear to most people as small specks, cobwebs or strands of fiber, which move slowly across the field of vision. They are actually shadows cast on the retina by debris in the vitreous gel that fills the inside of the eye. This debris is made up mostly of protein or material flaking off the retina. Flashes appear as sudden brief glints or sparkles of light, usually in the peripheral field of vision.

Who experiences them?
Floaters are common in all age groups, races and genders. They also tend to increase in numbers as we mature. Flashes tend more common in middle age and later. No one is immune to either. There is no genetic component.

What causes flashes and floaters?
As we mature, the vitreous gel shrinks and pulls away from the retina. Floaters are formed from the reorganization of the vitreous material and from some fragments of the retina, which have been pulled into the vitreous cavity.

Floaters are especially common in nearsighted people, in people who have suffered severe eye injuries and after eye surgery. Although uncommon, floaters can also result from inflammation within the eye or from crystal-like deposits that form in the vitreous gel.

When the vitreous gel pulls on the retina, it sometimes produces the illusion of flashing lights or lightening streaks called flashes. The flashes of light may appear off and on for several weeks or months.

Much less commonly, light flashes accompany a large number of new floaters and even a partial loss or shadowing of side vision. When this happens, examination within 24-48 hrs is extremely important to determine if a torn retina or retinal detachment has occurred.

Are flashes and floaters serious?
In most cases, floaters and flashes are no more than mild annoyances, which require no special treatment. In some instances, however, the sudden onset of floaters or flashes can be indicative of a more serious eye problem. The only reliable way to tell if floaters and flashes are symptomatic of a retinal tear or detachment is with a thorough eye examination.

Can they be prevented?
No.

How are they treated?
Although annoying, floaters are not usually vision threatening and do not require treatment. Often floaters diminish and become less bothersome over time. If a floater appears directly in the line of vision, moving the eye around will often help. In cases where floaters do indicate a more serious condition, lasers or even removal of the vitreous gel can be performed to prevent vision loss.

Like floaters, unless flashes represent the symptoms of a more serious condition, they do not require treatment. As soon as the vitreous pulls away from the retina, the flashes will eventually stop. However, flashes may indicate a more serious condition than floaters alone, therefore, it is always a good idea to see your eye care specialist anytime you have new onset of flashes.