Floaters & Flashes
What Are Floaters and Flashes?
Floaters are small specks, dots, circles, lines, or cobwebs that appear to drift in your field of vision. They are actually small clumps of gel or cells inside the vitreous, the clear gel-like fluid that fills your eye. What you see are the shadows these clumps cast on the retina.
Flashes are sparks or strands of light that you might see, often in your peripheral vision. They are typically caused by the vitreous gel pulling or rubbing on the retina.
Causes and When to Be Concerned
Floaters and flashes are common, especially as we age. The vitreous gel in our eyes becomes more liquid and can pull away from the retina, a process called posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). This is a normal part of aging and is usually not a cause for alarm.
However, a sudden increase in floaters, especially when accompanied by flashes of light or a shadow in your peripheral vision, can be a sign of a serious problem like a retinal tear or retinal detachment. This requires immediate medical attention.
Seek immediate care if you notice:
- A shower of new floaters
- New flashes of light
- A dark curtain or shadow moving across your vision
Diagnosis and Treatment
An ophthalmologist can determine the cause of your floaters and flashes with a comprehensive dilated eye exam. Most of the time, no treatment is needed if they are just a result of PVD. However, if a retinal tear is found, it will need to be treated with laser or a freezing procedure (cryopexy) to prevent it from progressing to a full retinal detachment.