Floaters and Flashing Lights in the Field of Vision
What are floaters?
Floaters are like “cobwebs” or specks that float about in your field of vision. They are small, dark, shadowy shapes that can look like spots, thread-like strands, or squiggly lines. They seem to move as your eyes move, and usually drift a little bit.
Floaters occur when the vitreous slowly shrinks (Vitreous = a gel-like substance that fills the back part of the eye). As the vitreous shrinks, it becomes somewhat stringy, and the strands can cast tiny shadows on the retina. These appear as ‘‘floaters’’.
In most cases, floaters are part of the natural ageing process and do not signify anything serious. They can be annoying at first, but eventually tend to “settle” at the bottom of the eye. They become less noticeable with time, but do not go away completely. They can become apparent when looking at something like a plain wall or the sky.
What are flashing lights?
Sometimes the vitreous suddenly pulls away from the retina (Retina = the sensitive layer at the back of the eye). This causes many new floaters to appear suddenly, often accompanied by flashes of light. The flashes may appear like a sudden flash of a camera or a momentary arc of light. They occur because of the vitreous tugging or rubbing on the retina.
What is vitreous detachment?
When the vitreous-gel filling the back of the eye separates from the light sensitive layer called the retina, it is called a ‘‘vitreous detachment’’. In most cases this is not sight-threatening and requires no treatment. However, a sudden increase in floaters, or new floaters, possibly accompanied by light flashes or loss of side vision, could indicate a retinal tear or retinal detachment.
A retinal detachment occurs when any part of the retina, is lifted away from its normal position on the back wall of the eye. A retinal detachment is a serious condition and should be considered an emergency. If left untreated, it can lead to permanent visual impairment or even blindness. In the majority of cases occasional floaters and flashes are harmless.
However If you are noticing sudden increase in flashes and floaters, shadow or curtain effect in your field of vision (visual fields), if you are short sighted, had retinal lasers in the past, have had intraocular surgeries, or have a family history of retinal detachment then contact your optician or GP for an urgent appointment.
1. Sudden increase in floaters or new floaters accompanied by:-
Flashing lights and/or
Curtains across the vision or loss of side vision.
Please contact your Doctor/Optician as soon as possible, who will refer you to the eye department urgently.
If out of hours you are strongly advised to attend your local Accident and Emergency department.
