Eye Floaters and Flashes: Knowing When To Get Your Eyes Examined

By Malav Joshi, MD

Chesapeake Retina Centers

. http://www.chesapeakeretina.com

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Eye Floaters and Flashes: Knowing When To Get Your Eyes Examined

Seeing floaters, and occasionally flashes, is a very common complaint encountered in the eye clinic. Floaters are spots that seem to drift in your field of vision with eye movements and come in all shapes and sizes. They are most prominent when looking at a bright background, such as a white wall. They occur as a result of natural aging changes that take place in the gel-like structure that fills the inside of the eye, also known as the vitreous gel.

As we age, the clear gel structure of the vitreous breaks down and forms clumps which then casts shadows on the retina, the thin light-sensing nerve tissue that lines the inside back wall of the eye. These shadows are what we perceive as floaters.

As the vitreous gel continues to collapse, it also starts to peel away from the retina, which is called a posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), not to be confused with a retinal detachment. When this occurs, one may notice a new, large cobweb-like floater and/or multiple smaller floaters appear all of a sudden. This also may be associated with flashes of light, which manifest as quick, arc-like flashes of light usually seen in the periphery of the visual field.

Flashes occur as a result of the gel mechanically pulling and stimulating the light-sensing nerve cells in the retina as it is separating away from the retina. Most of the time, after the gel completely pulls away from the retina, the floaters eventually settle down with gravity and drift out of the line of sight. Sometimes, your brain adjusts to the floaters and learns to “ignore” them. With time, the flashes also become less frequent and eventually stop. However, in a minority of patients, the floaters can be severe enough to interfere with daily activities.

The only way to completely remove the floaters is to have them surgically removed by a retinal surgeon. A newer, non-surgical option is now available, which involves applying laser to disintegrate larger floaters into smaller pieces to make them less noticeable. Although some have found this procedure to be helpful, it is still in its infancy and not yet widely adopted by ophthalmologists.

So When Should You Get Your Eyes Examined?

A few floaters that have been around for a long time are quite common and completely harmless. However, if you notice many more floaters than usual, a sudden onset of new floaters, flashes of light, or a dark shadow on any sides of your vision, you should contact an eye specialist immediately. These painless symptoms could be caused by a retinal hole or a tear that can quickly turn into a retinal detachment if neglected.

If treated right away, a retina specialist can seal the retinal tear with an in-office laser or cryotherapy (freezing treatment) procedure and dramatically reduce the chances of developing a retinal detachment.