Eye flashes and floaters are a relatively common condition, experienced by almost everyone to some degree especially as we get older. Generally a misunderstood phenomenon, flashes and floaters can be the result of serious eye conditions such as a retinal tear.
The general rule is: if it is your first time experience either flashes or floaters, come pay us a visit.
In most cases, flashes/floaters are benign; harmless. However, in some cases, they can be a symptom of a developing eye disease (such as a detached retina) or a sign of a more serious problem that is developing.
If you experience a change in the size, shape, or amount of floaters/flashes you experience, please visit us for an assessment.
Flashes often look like flashing or streaking lights in your field of vision. Eye flashes occur as the result of vitreous gel inside your eye rubbing or pulling on the retina.
Floaters appear in your field of vision as moving objects resembling small specks, dots, circles or cobwebs. Eye floaters are the result of vitreous gel pulling away from the back wall of the eye, resulting in a posterior vitreous detachment. Floaters can be a sign that your retina is, or could become torn.
In most cases, flashes and floaters are triggered by external, non-eye-related events such as taking a light knock on your head or a forceful sneeze. In such unharmful cases, the retina is simply receiving a brief physical stimulation and the symptoms do not linger on long after.
However, if you are suddenly experiencing flashes or floaters more frequently and/or with a greater level of severity, you should book an appointment at Vivid Eye Care to get an assessment. As mentioned earlier, the symptoms do have the potential to be signalling the onset of a retinal issue, such as a tear or detachment or the development of an eye disease.
