When Are Floaters and Flashes of Light in the Eye Important?
What are floaters?
Black dots, threads or cobweb-like shapes that move across the field of vision are described as floaters. They are most often related to age-related changes in the gel inside the eye.
What can cause flashes of light?
When the gel inside the eye pulls on the retina, a sensation of flashing light can occur. This can sometimes be accompanied by a retinal tear.
Which symptoms are urgent?
If floaters suddenly increase markedly, new flashes of light begin or a curtain/shadow appears in the field of vision, a retinal examination should not be delayed.
Why is this important?
When a retinal tear is detected early, in suitable patients it may be possible to treat it before a retinal detachment develops.
When is an eye examination needed?
If you have a vision complaint that is new, ongoing or affecting your daily life, it is advisable to have it evaluated with an eye examination. Symptoms such as sudden loss of vision, severe eye pain or a curtain/shadow in your visual field should be evaluated without delay.
Information note: This article has been prepared for general information purposes. Decisions on diagnosis and treatment should be made after evaluating the person's eye examination and medical condition.
