What are Eye Floaters and Flashes?

What are Eye Flashes and Eye Floaters?

Eye floaters are black or grayish specks, strings, or cobweb-looking objects that sometimes appear in your field of vision. They may appear in one or both eyes, and are more likely to show up when you stare at a bright, plain surface such as a white wall or blank sheet of paper.
Located in the fluid inside your eye, eye floaters drift in and out of your vision as your eye moves, disappearing when you try to focus on them. Floaters are generally harmless and not usually cause for alarm. However, when they increase in frequency, or are combined with other symptoms, such as eye pain or flashes, you should contact our office as soon as possible.
Eye flashes are brief flashes of light that appear in your field of vision. They are often described as looking like small sparkles, lightning, or fireworks, that come and go.

What Causes Floaters and Flashes?

As we age, the vitreous, or the thick, gel-like substance inside our eyes, starts to liquefy in a process called vitreous syneresis. When this happens, the inside of the eye can start to accumulate debris and deposits.

Do I Need to See a Doctor?

Although most instances of eye floaters and flashes are harmless, you should contact us if you experience any of the following:

• An increase in the frequency of floaters
• Flashes of light in your eyes
• A loss of peripheral vision
• Eye pain

These issues can indicate a more serious eye condition that should be assessed and diagnosed as soon as possible.

Conditions Associated with Floaters and Flashes

Some of the more serious conditions associated with eye floaters and flashes include:

• Vitreous Hemorrhage: A vitreous hemorrhage occurs when blood leaks into the vitreous. This condition can result from damage to the blood vessels in the retina, eye conditions such as diabetic retinopathy that cause the growth of abnormal blood vessels that bleed into the vitreous, or bleeding from another part of the eye that leaks into the vitreous.
• Posterior Vitreous Detachment (PVD): As we age, and the vitreous starts to liquefy, it begins to shrink and separate from the retina. This causes posterior vitreous detachment.
• Retinal Tear: As the vitreous shrinks and peels from the retina, it can sometimes pull so hard that it causes holes or tears. Vitreous can then enter the opening, pushing the retina farther away from the inner lining of the back of the eye, eventually causing retinal detachment.
• Retinal Detachment: This is a serious eye condition in which the retina has detached from the layer of blood vessels that provides it with oxygen and nourishment. The longer this condition goes untreated, the greater the risk of permanent vision loss in the affected eye. Fortunately, if detected and treated early, vision can typically be restored or saved.