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Flashes & Floaters
Flashes and floaters can be alarming.
Usually, however, an eye
examination will confirm that they are harmless and do not
require any treatment.
Symptoms of Flashes & Vitreous Floaters:
Causes of Flashes and Floaters:
 Aging of the eye:
Most flashes and floaters are caused by age-related changes in
the gel-like material, called the vitreous, that fills the back
of the eye. When you are born, the vitreous is firmly attached to the
retina. In the very
young, the vitreous is rather thick, like firm gelatin.
Within the vitreous,
there may be clumps of gel or tiny strands of tissue debris left
over from the eye's early development.
These clumps or strands
are firmly embedded in the thick, young vitreous and cannot move
around much.
As you get older, the vitreous gradually
becomes thinner or more watery. By the time you
are in your twenties or thirties, the vitreous may be watery
enough to allow some of the clumps and strands to move around
inside the eye. This material floating inside the
eye can cast shadows on the retina, which you see as small
floating spots.
Sometime after about age 55, you may experience the onset of
larger, more bothersome floaters or flashes of light.
By this age, the vitreous
gel has usually become much more watery.
It jiggles around quite a
bit when you move your eye, making flashes and floaters much
more common.
Eventually, the aging vitreous can pull away from the retina and
shrink into a dense mass of gel in the middle of the eyeball.
Shadows cast onto the
retina by the detached vitreous can cause you to see large
floaters.
Who is at risk?
Flashes and floaters are very common.
Almost everyone
experiences them at one time or another.
They become more frequent
as we age. In rare cases,
Dr. McMann’s exam may reveal a more serious problem called a
retinal tear or retinal hole, so it's important to get regular
eye exams and inform
Dr. McMann if you're experiencing flashes
or floaters.
Diagnosing Flashes and Floaters:
Using special instruments to look into your eyes,
Dr. McMann can
distinguish between harmless floaters and flashes and more
serious retinal problems such as holes, tears or detachment.
The usual symptoms of
these more serious problems include seeing hundreds of small
floating spots, persistent flashing lights, or a veil-like
blockage of a portion of the vision.
If you experience any of
these, you should contact
Dr. McMann immediately.
Treatment for Flashes and Floaters:
There is no way to eliminate the floater through surgery, laser
treatment or medication. With
time, the floater will become less noticeable as the brain
adjusts to its presence and can "tune out" the floater.
The floater will always
be somewhat observable and present, particularly if one eye is
covered and the patient looks at a light-colored background.
Anyone with flashes or the sudden onset of a new floater should
be examined promptly.
Dr. McMann will perform a dilated exam and look at the
vitreous and retina with specialized equipment.
Sudden flashes or
floaters could be symptoms of a vitreous detachment, which is a
benign condition that carries the risk of developing into a
retinal tear and/or retinal detachment.
McMann Eye Institute
“A Lifetime Commitment to Your Vision Health with the Spirit of
Aloha”
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