subject: Flashers And Floaters - What's Normal And What's Not [print this page] Flashers And Floaters - What's Normal And What's Not
Flashes and Floaters are a very important subject to discuss. It is a matter of possibly losing one's vision permanently if not acted upon immediately.
Flashes are those annoying flashes of light that occur out of the corner of your eye for what seems like milliseconds, then they are gone. Floaters are those annoying flecks that float around seemingly in the front of your vision and move when you go to look at them. Sometimes they are mistaken for something flying around your head.
All of us are going to have flashes and floaters one time or another in our lifetime. But what is important to differentiate is the benign from the serious.
As the eye ages the fluids inside the eye begin to shrink. These proteins which at one time were firmly attached to the back of the inner eye are now detached and floating around inside the eye. This is not a problem as long as it doesn't take the retina with it. So how do you know if the retina is detached. Normally you would not know. There are a few symptoms that suggest that may be the case:
1. There is a sudden increase in the number of floaters in the eye.
2. There are flashes of light associated with the increased floaters.
3. There may be a grey curtain or loss of vision.
Only a dilated eye exam by your optometrist or ophthalmologist can determine if you have a serious problem.
If you experience one or more of the symptoms call your eye doctor IMMEDIATELY. You need to be seen right away. If you have a retinal detachment the sooner you have it repaired the better the result. Don't wait till the next day.
If your doctor finds that you do not have a serious problem he or she will probably want to follow up with you in a few weeks or months. Your floaters will not go away but they may become less noticeable. If you notice an increase in the amount of floaters, call your doctor.
Flashes are never normal.
Get your eyes examined by your optometrist annually and let them know if you have been experiencing flashes or floaters.
