Are Floaters and Flashes Dangerous?

You've likely experienced occasional visual "floaters" or flashes and may have wondered what they were. They look like tiny lines, shapes, shadows, or specks that appear to drift in your visual field. More often than not, seeing floaters is normal and does not indicate a problem with ocular health. However, when floaters become more frequent and are accompanied by flashes of light, that can indicate a more serious problem.

What Causes Floaters?

The vitreous in the eye is a clear gel that fills most of the eyeball. Within the vitreous are small lumps of protein that drift around and move with the motion of your eyes. When these tiny lumps cast shadows on the retina — the light-sensitive lining at the back of the eye — the shadows appear as floaters. Floaters tend to be more prevalent in nearsighted people and diabetics, and occur more frequently following cataract surgery or an eye injury.

What Causes Flashes?

Flashes result from the retinal nerve cells being moved or tugged on. As the vitreous shrinks over time, it can tug at the retina, causing you to "see stars" or bursts of light. The process of the vitreous separating from the retina is called posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) and usually isn't dangerous. However, in about 16% of cases, PVD causes tiny tears in the retina that can lead to retinal detachment — a sight-threatening condition that causes irreversible blindness if left untreated.

Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore

• A sudden onset of floaters accompanied by flashes of light
• An increase of floaters accompanied by a darkening of one side of the visual field
• Shadows in the peripheral vision
• Any time flashes are seen

If you experience any of these symptoms, promptly make an appointment at St. Clairsville Eyecare in St. Clairsville. Call (740) 695-0444.