Floaters and flashers
Floaters are small specks or clouds moving in our field of vision. We often see them when looking at a plain background. They are made up of tiny clumps of gel or cells inside the vitreous. While these objects look like they are in front of our eyes, they are really floating inside it. What we see are the shadows they cast on our retina, the layer of cells lining the back of our eyes that senses light and allows you to see. Floaters can appear as various shapes, such as cobwebs, lines, clouds, circles, or little dots. When people reach middle age, the vitreous gel may start to thicken or shrink, forming clumps or strands inside the eye. The vitreous gel pulls away from the back wall of the eye, causing a posterior vitreous detachment.
This is a common cause of floaters. Posterior vitreous detachments are more common in people who:
- Are near-sighted
- Have undergone cataract surgery
- Have had YAG laser
- Have had inflammation inside the eye
- You see sudden flashes of light
- Even one new floater appears suddenly
- It must however be noted that floaters that not associated with a retinal tear are harmless and can fade over time. They require no treatment. A surgery to remove floaters is a rare occurrence.
Flashing lights are caused by the vitreous gel rubbing or pulling on the retina. If you notice the sudden appearance of light flashes, you should contact The Eye Doctors immediately in case your retina has been damaged or torn. Some people experience flashes of light that appear as jagged lines or heat waves in both eyes, often lasting 10 to 20 minutes. These types of flashes usually happen when a spasm of blood vessels in the brain, commonly referred to as migraine. As we progress in age floaters and flashes of light become more common.
While not all floaters and flashes are serious, regular medical eye examination by an ophthalmologist should be part of our medical check up process to ensure that our retina is okay and that there has been no damage to our retina. For minor symptoms, no treatment may be necessary, just by simply updating your eyeglass prescription or wearing bifocals may improve vision. medicines and Eye drops.
For more severe symptoms, a vitrectomy surgery is highly recommended. The surgery is usually performed as an outpatient procedure in an operating room. During surgery, The Eye Doctors uses tiny instruments to remove the wrinkled tissue on your macula. After the tissue is gone, the macula flattens, and vision gradually improves, although it usually does not return all the way to normal vision completely. You should consider surgery if your blurred vision is interfering with your daily activities.
