Floaters and Flashes

What are floaters and what causes them?

Floaters are specks or clouds moving in your field of vision. Floaters look as if they are moving outside the eye but are actually tiny clumps of gel or cells in the vitreous. Floaters are often caused by posterior vitreous detachment, when the vitreous gel shrinks, forming clumps inside the eye and pulling away from the back wall of the eye. Floaters are also caused by injury to the eye.

Are floaters dangerous?

Posterior vitreous detachment can lead to retinal detachment and vision loss - see your ophthalmologist (Eye MD) immediately.

What are flashes and what cause them?

Flashes occur when the vitreous (the gel-like substance within the eye) rubs or pulls on the retina. The flashes of light can appear off and on for several weeks or months. Some flashes of light appear as jagged lines or "heat waves" in both eyes and can last 10 to 20 minutes. These are usually caused by a spasm of blood vessels in the brain. If a headache follows the flashes, it is called a migraine headache. If a headache does not follow3 the flashes, it is called ocular migraine. As you age, it is more common to experience flashes.

Trauma to the eye-

Eye injury often causes floaters and flashes. Injuries commonly result from playing sports, handling fireworks, shooting sling shots, BB guns, and pellet guns, and being hit by objects thrown from lawn mowers, trimmers, grinders, and hammers. Always wear protective eyewear during these activities.