- What are floaters? They are small specks or clouds moving in the field of your vision. They can often be seen when looking at a clean background such as a white wall or blue sky. They may be in one or both eyes.
- What causes floaters? When people reach middle age or older, the vitreous gel (which fills our eyes) may start to thicken or shrink, causing lumps or strands to form inside the eye. The vitreous gel pulls away from the back of the eye, causing a posterior vitreous detachment. This is a common cause of floaters. It is more common in people who are nearsighted or have gone through any eye operation or have had any kind of trauma or surgery or inflammation of the eye. The appearance of new floaters should be seen by your ophthalmologist as soon as possible.
- Are floaters ever serious? When the shrinking vitreous gel pulls away from the back of the eye, it can cause a tear in the retina. It may be accompanied by a small amount of bleeding into the eye which appear as new floaters. A new torn retina is a serious problem and can lead to a retinal detachment and it is recommended if anyone notices a new floater or a sudden onset of ‘flashing of lights’ in one eye, you should check with your ophthalmologist as soon as possible.
- What causes ‘flashing lights’ ? When the vitreous gel pulls on the retina, you may see flashing lights or lightening streaks in the side vision of one eye. The flashes of light can appear on and off for several weeks or months. The flashes are caused by a tugging of the retina, by the vitreous, which in turn stimulates the rods and cones of the retina to ‘fire’ , causing a ‘flash of light’ . It is more common as we get older. If you notice an onset of new flashes, particularly if accompanied by any kind of floaters in one eye, you should check with your ophthalmologist right away.