Flashes and Floaters

1. Home
2. Retinal Conditions
3. Flashes & Floaters

Flashes & Floaters

Flashes and floaters are very common, especially as people age. In most cases, they're painless and harmless, and the brain eventually adapts to them. However, certain symptoms, such as a sudden increase in flashes and floaters, can indicate more serious conditions that require immediate care.

What are Flashes and Floaters?

Eye flashes typically appear as sudden bursts of light in your field of vision. They can look like twinkling stars, streaks of lightning, or small spotlights. It's possible to experience these flashes on and off for weeks or even months. Eye flashes are commonly associated with conditions such as posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), when the vitreous, the clear substance that fills your eye, pulls away from the back of the eye.

Eye floaters typically appear as dark or transparent shapes in your vision, such as squiggly lines, spots, specks, and spiderweb-like patterns. They are tiny clumps of gel or cells in the vitreous. These shapes are actually shadows cast on the retina by those clumps. Floaters are more common with PVD, but they can also occur independently of it.

Diagnosing Flashes and Floaters

Retina specialists typically rely on a combination of symptoms and in-office tests to diagnose flashes and floaters. The primary method they use is a comprehensive eye exam that includes pupil dilation. They may also perform an ultrasound if they can’t get a clear view of the retina.

When to See a Retina Specialist About Flashes and Floaters

Since flashes and floaters are common, it can be difficult to know when they signal something more serious. It's important to seek care as soon as possible if you experience a sudden increase in floaters, new or frequent flashes of light, a dark curtain or shadow in your vision, or a sudden loss of vision. These symptoms may indicate a retinal tear or detachment, which requires prompt treatment to prevent permanent vision loss.

Treating Flashes and Floaters

In most cases, flashes and floaters don't require medical intervention. Symptoms are often mild and overlooked by the brain once it adapts to them. In rare cases where floaters significantly affect daily vision, certain laser procedures may be considered, though they are not widely recommended.