Floaters appear as various shapes such as little dots, circles, lines, clouds or cobwebs that appear to “float” in front of the eye. They are actually the result of clumps of gel or cells floating in the vitreous fluid, the clear jelly-like substance that fills the inside of the eye. When light passes through the eye, these clumps of vitreous can cast shadows and these shadows are seen as floaters. Floaters are often noticed when looking at a plain background, such as a blank wall or blue sky.

What causes floaters?

As people age, the vitreous gel may start to liquefy and shrink, forming clumps or strands inside the eye. With further shrinking, the vitreous gel may pull away or detach from the back wall of the eye, causing a condition known as a posterior vitreous detachment. It is a common cause of floaters.

Posterior vitreous detachment is more common for people who:

• are nearsighted;
• have undergone cataract operations;
• have had YAG laser surgery of the eye;
• have had inflammation inside the eye.

The appearance of floaters may be alarming, especially if they develop suddenly. You should see an ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.) right away if you suddenly develop new floaters.

Are floaters ever serious?

In short, yes. As the vitreous gel detaches from the inside eye wall, it may sometimes adhere to the underlying retina. The result is traction on the retina that may lead to a retinal tear. A retinal tear can cause a small amount of bleeding in the eye that may appear as new floaters.  A torn retina is always a serious problem, since it can lead to a retinal detachment and vision loss. You should see your Eye MD as soon as possible if:

• even one new floater appears suddenly;
• you see sudden flashes of light.
• If you notice other symptoms, like the loss of side vision

What can be done about floaters?

The presence of floaters in the line of sight may be quite annoying, especially if a person is attempting to perform visual tasks such as reading or computer work. An effective means of addressing the problem is to quickly move the eyes, either up and down or side to side, in order to move the floaters out of the way.

While some floaters may remain in your vision, many of them will fade over time and become less bothersome. Even if you have had some floaters for years, you should have an eye examination immediately if you notice new ones.

What causes flashing lights?

Flashing lights or what some people describe as “lightning streaks” are often seen when the vitreous gel rubs, pulls, or tears the retina. The mechanical traction on the retinal tissue triggers the retinal cells to fire an impulse that is transmitted to the brain and seen as a flash. Because traction on the retina can lead to a retinal tear and a retinal detachment with subsequent vision loss, any onset of flashes needs to be evaluated urgently.

Migraine

Some people experience flashes of light that appear as jagged lines or "heat waves" in both eyes, often lasting 10-20 minutes. These types of flashes are usually caused by a spasm of blood vessels in the brain, which is called migraine.
If a headache follows the flashes, it is called a migraine headache. However, jagged lines or "heat waves" can occur without a headache. In this case, the light flashes are called ophthalmic migraine, migraine aura or migraine without headache.

How are your eyes examined?

When the doctors of the East West Eye Institute examine your eyes, your pupils will be dilated with eye drops. During this painless examination, we will carefully observe your retina and vitreous. Because vision can become blurry when the eyes have been dilated, you may need to make arrangements for someone to drive you home afterwards.

While not all floaters and flashes are serious, one should always have a medical eye examination when new floats occur so that a potentially serious condition such as a retinal tear or retinal detachment can be identified and appropriately addressed.