Floaters and Flashes

Most everyone has experienced floaters from time to time and wondered what they were, if they were dangerous and if there was something that could be done about them.

Floaters are known technically as muscae volitantes, which is Latin for “flying flies.” They are tiny, dark clumps of gel or other materials inside the vitreous (the semi-transparent, jelly-like fluid that fills the inside of the eyes). They can be dots, circles, lines, clouds or cobwebs, which appear to be directly in your field of vision when you move your eyes about. However, floaters are merely shadows cast on the retina, the nerve layer at the back of the eye.

Flashes usually occur when the vitreous gel pulls on or tears the retina. They appear as sensations of light — tiny bright lights or flashes of lightening lasting a few seconds usually at night.

Floaters and flashes have been associated with the natural aging process, but can also appear in people who are nearsighted, who have had injury to the eye or head or possibly through eye surgery.

Floaters are more of an annoyance and not dangerous, usually requiring no treatment. Some gradually go away on their own; others do not go away completely. But when more floaters or larger ones and/or flashes suddenly appear, this may be an in-dication of retinal damage caused by vitreous detachment — the vitreous gel from the attachment to the back of the eye at the optic nerve. In most cases the retina is not torn. However, these are all warning signs and you need to see your eye doctor promptly for a dilated eye examination to view the vitreous and the retina to prevent loss of sight. Floaters and flashes may get better on their own even if a retinal tear or detachment is present. But you should be examined even if they seem to be going away. Follow-up examinations are important and will be scheduled by your eye doctor. The key is early detection and treatment if needed (Sources: American Academy of Ophthalmology; National Eye Institute/National Institutes of Health; United Feature Syndicate Inc., July 2000; Harvard Medical School). See ISPB’s Web Site for the CAN TV series on the topic of Floaters and Flashes.

The Visionary, published as a service of the Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness,
is available upon request. The information contained in this issue,
taken from sources considered to be accurate,
does not replace the need for professional eye care consultations and treatments.

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