| Flashes And Floaters |
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| What
are Floaters? |
| Floaters
appear as grey or black specs, lines, or ‘cobwebs’
in front of the eyes. As the eyes move, the
floaters move too. They do not follow your
eye movements precisely, as they usually drift
when the eyes start or stop moving. Floaters
are caused by clumps or bits of material suspended
in the vitreous jelly that fills the back
of the eye. The floaters cast shadows on the
light sensitive retina. It is actually the
shadow of the floater that you see. Floaters
may have a variety of causes, some serious,
and some not serious at all. |
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| What
are Flashes? |
Flashes
are sensations of light, when no light is
really there. They may appear as many tiny
bright lights (like ‘sparklers’)
or like flashes of lightening. Flashes may
occur when the vitreous jelly pulls on or
tears the retina. These flashes usually last
for only a second or so, but typically occur
repeatedly.
They may be more obvious with eye movement,
or in a dark room. Some people with migraine
headaches may experience a different type
of flash.
These are usually shimmering, jagged lights
that are present constantly for a period of
fifteen minutes or so. They typically appear
in the centre of your field of vision, and
progress slowly towards the edges of the visual
field.
A headache that is commonly throbbing, and
on one side of the head, may follow the disappearance
of the flashes. |
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| Are
Flashes and Floaters serious? |
Many
people have floaters. Floaters that you
have had for years, and that show little
change are usually not serious. It is the
sudden onset of a new floater that may be
serious. The onset of flashes may also be
serious. Anyone with flashes or the sudden
onset of a new floater (or floaters) should
be examined promptly by an ophthalmologist/Optometrist.
They will perform a dilated fundus exam
(looking at the vitreous and retina with
specialised equipment after giving drops
to enlarge the pupils).
In most people, these drops have only a
temporary effect on vision. You will not
be able to drive afterwards. The effect
of the drops will wear off within a few
hours.
In extremely rare circumstances the drops
can increase your eye pressure, so if you
notice any of the following symptoms below,
you must go straight to your local eye casualty:
- Red painful eye
- Haloes around lights
- Nausea/Stomach cramps
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What is the vitreous? |
| The
vitreous is a jelly like material that fills
most of the space inside the eye. As we age,
the vitreous often liquefies and may collapse.
This is more likely to occur, and occurs much
earlier, in the eyes that are nearsighted
(myopia). It can also occur after injuries
to the eye or inflammation in the eye. |
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| What
is the retina? |
| The
retina is a thin sheet of light sensitive
nerve tissue that lines the inside of the
eye. It is the tissue that turns light into
an electrical signal to send to the brain.
It can be compared to the film of a camera |
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What will my Optometrist/Ophthalmologist
look for if I have flashes and floaters? |
| The most common
cause of flashes is the vitreous humour (jelly)
pulling away from the retina. This happens
in over 70% of the population as part of the
normal aging process, or for other reasons
that are not well understood at this time.
It is usually accompanied by floaters, which
represent condensations of the vitreous jelly.
By comparison, retinal breaks occur in approximately
6% of the population, and retinal detachments
in about 0.06%. Light flashes occur in all
three conditions. |
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| What
can be done about my floaters and flashes? |
| Your flashes
are likely to go away on their own within
a few days or a few weeks. This may be true
even if you have a retinal tear or detachment!
It is therefore important to be examined
even if your flashes go away on their own.
Floaters tend to last longer than flashes.
In most cases, they diminish gradually over
weeks or months. Often they do not go away
completely. Most people learn to ignore
them. Floaters, like flashes, may get better
on their own even if a retinal tear or detachment
is present. You should be examined even
if the floaters seem to be going away.
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Warning
Signs |
| The most common
cause of flashes is the vitreous humour (jelly)
pulling away from the retina. This happens
in over 70% of the population as part of the
normal aging process, or for other reasons
that are not well understood at this time.
It is usually accompanied by floaters, which
represent condensations of the vitreous jelly.
By comparison, retinal breaks occur in approximately
6% of the population, and retinal detachments
in about 0.06%. Light flashes occur in all
three conditions. |
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Useful
Telephone Numbers |
Queens
Medical Centre Eye Casualty
0115 924 99 24 ext 42882
Leicester Royal Infirmary Eye Casualty
0116 254 14 14
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