Eye floaters and flashes are very common, and, most of the time, they don’t indicate a direct threat to eye health. In fact, most of us have experienced them at least once, especially after a particularly scintillating movie or long hours at work.
A signal that you need to take a nap? Likely. But a red flag? Only some of the time. When they become too frequent or disruptive, they could be an early sign of a more severe problem. To tell them apart, we first need to examine what they are, what causes them, and what treatments are available.
What do eye floaters look like?
Both eye flashes and floaters are temporary eye disturbances, but each has its own characteristic shape.
Floaters usually appear as a semi-transparent or whitish shape in the middle of your field of vision. Common types of eye floaters include rings, squiggly lines, crisscrossed “cobwebs,” and diffuse clouds.
Most of the time, they appear close to the edges, and they move with your eyes: lead your gaze to the extreme left or bring it up, and they will move approximately in the same direction. Floaters often remain even after blinking or closing your eyes until you eventually stop noticing them.
What are flashes?
Eye flashes, on the other hand, usually last less than a second. They feel similar to the flash of a camera: a bright flash of light that disrupts everything else for a split second. Sometimes, they can look like arcs, just like lightning strikes.
What causes eye floaters and flashes?
Your eyeballs are filled with a thin jelly-like substance known as the vitreous. At first glance, the vitreous looks like a consistent gel. However, if you look at it under a microscope, you’ll see that it is made up of a thin fluid (or vitreous fluid), thickened by microscopic collagen fibers – yes, the same collagen that holds your joints and skin.
Sometimes, due to dehydration or aging, the vitreous jelly becomes looser or shrinks. When this happens, the collagen fibers clump together and float around the rest of the gel. When you look at a plain background or the blue sky, you’ll see them floating around: these are floaters.
Flashes also start in the vitreous. The globe holding the vitreous together is the retina: a thin layer of tissue that reflects the light that comes into your eyes. As we age, the thin tissue of the retina becomes looser and can begin to pull on the vitreous. This can create a tiny space in the back of the eye for a brief moment, which will be immediately filled with a flash of light.
Are eye floaters normal?
As long as they remain sporadic, then the answer is yes – or at the very least, they are a normal part of aging.
As we grow older, we progressively lose elasticity in many parts of the body, including the retina. By the age of 50, over 10% of people will develop a condition known as posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). This is when the back of the vitreous starts to detach from the retina, tugging slightly from it.
Eye PVD will cause more frequent floaters and eye flashes, but by itself, it is not dangerous, and it will not affect your vision. By the age of 65, half of all adults will develop PVD, and for over 85% of people, it will never be more than a nuisance.
With that said, PVD does open the gate for possible future problems. As the vitreous continues to weaken, your chances of the following complications will progressively increase:
- Retinal tear: This is when a small tear or injury develops in the retina. Depending on the location of the tear, this could have you seeing light flashes more frequently – or it could create blurriness, dimmer vision, a dark or blind spot, or even reduce your field of vision.
- Retinal detachment: This is when the vitreous and the retina become entirely separated. This is a medical emergency, and you will need surgery to reattach the vitreous to the retina. If untreated, you could permanently lose some (or all) of your sight.
So, if your ophthalmologist recently told you that you are “developing PVD,” there is no need to panic yet. However, you should be vigilant and start taking better care of your eyes, just in case.
However, if you start noticing new floaters more frequently or sudden floaters in one eye, it’s worth calling an ophthalmologist.
Am I at risk for retinal detachment?
Retinal detachment is a serious condition that can result in permanent vision loss. However, it only affects 1 in 10,000 people every year, a relatively small number compared to the vast legions with PVD.
On rare occasions, retinal detachment happens suddenly due to blunt ocular trauma – such as a high fall or a car accident.
Most of the time, retinal detachment happens after many years of PVD. In addition, some people have a higher risk of developing it. These include:
- People who are nearsighted (myopic) naturally have a longer retina, which will lose its elasticity more quickly.
- People with out-of-control diabetes or diabetic retinopathy, as these conditions can damage the blood vessels around the eye and cause internal bleeding in the area.
- Past history of uveitis (inflammation of the uvea or the colored part of the eye) or past retinal tears.
- Anyone with a family history of retinal detachment, macular degeneration, or cataracts.
- Anyone with a past history of cataract surgery or other types of eye surgery.
Is it time to see a doctor?
When treated promptly, most people who experience retinal detachment won’t lose their eyesight. Unfortunately, the condition can be hard to spot: there are no pain receptors inside the eye, making any detachment painless.
The signs you should be looking for are a bit more subtle. If you are over 50, and especially if you have one or more of the risk factors mentioned above, seek immediate care upon noticing any of the following warning signs:
- Many sudden floaters in one eye
- A sudden increase in eye flashes
- Blurred vision
- Sudden loss of peripheral vision
- Black floaters in the eye
- Dark specks in one or both eyes
A dilated eye exam is the only way to diagnose a retinal tear or detachment. This involves using special eye drops to widen the pupil as much as possible and then examining the back of your eyes with a magnifying lens.
The drops will make your vision a bit blurrier and sensitive to light. So, even if it’s a false alarm, make sure you bring a pair of sunglasses and remember that you won’t be able to drive the rest of the day
What is eye floaters treatment?
Most of the time, ophthalmologists don’t treat floaters directly unless they are very abundant and get in the way of driving, reading, or working.
There is no medication or eye drops for floaters that can make them disappear.
Floaters can be eliminated with a laser procedure known as vitreolysis. This involves using carefully-controlled laser pulses to break up the small clumps of collagen that cause floaters. The procedure is non-invasive and painless and only requires a local anesthetic – mostly to keep you from blinking.
Unfortunately, if the laser is aimed incorrectly, this procedure can increase your risk of a retinal tear in the future.
Meanwhile, both retinal tears and retinal detachment require more invasive treatment. Depending on the location and extent of the damage, doctors can use one of these different surgical procedures:
- A cryopexy or freeze treatment, which will use an ultra-cold probe to seal any tears between the retina and the vitreous.
- A vitrectomy, or removal of the vitreous gel (which will then be replaced with saline or special silicon)
- A pneumatic retinopexy, which involved injecting a small air bubble through the eye center to hold the retina in place
- A scleral buckle surgery, which uses a tiny elastic band around the detached retina to keep it in place.
Ideally, retinal problems shouldn’t go so far. If you are at risk for retinal detachment or begin developing PVD very early, you should develop a plan of action with your eye doctor. This can include more frequent check-ups or extra protection during strenuous sports.
Why choose Assil Gaur Eye Institute to manage your eye floaters and flashes?
Assil Gaur Eye Institute is a state-of-the-art facility located in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, providing comprehensive ophthalmology care for people across Southern California.
Our experienced ophthalmologists and health professionals have extensive experience in all aspects of eye health, from LASIK corrective surgery to more delicate retinal repair procedures.
We also firmly believe in the benefits of routine prevention and strive to offer prompt eye care appointments in a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. Please call 866-945-2745 or visit us here to make an appointment online.
Our clinics serve patients in or near Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Culver City, Hollywood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, and Downtown Los Angeles.
As a member of an elite group of only 3000 retina-vitreous specialists in the United States, Stanford trained Dr. Pilyugina brings to AGEI a unique skill set in the treatment and surgery of retinal disease. Her academic credentials include numerous research papers, conference presentations, medical publications, and clinical trials.
In recognition of her expertise, Dr. Pilyugina was asked to serve as Chief Editor for New Retinal Physician, a supplement published by the Retinal Physician Journal.
- Are Eye Drops Dangerous? Eye Drop Infections and Allergies - 03/06/2023
- The Gender Health Gap: Do Women Have Worse Vision? - 11/29/2022
- Eye floaters and flashes: What You Need to Know - 06/27/2022
