EYE DISEASES
Flashes and Floaters
The vitreous is the gel that fills the center of our eyes. It shrinks as we get older and can pull on the retina. The tugging on the retina causes flashes of lights to be seen. The vitreous can then pull away from the retina and clump together. These clumps cast a shadow when you are in a brightly lit neutral background, like looking at the sky. They are called floaters and they usually fade or drift off over time without any treatment. . This is called a posterior vitreous detachment. Sometimes a shrinking vitreous will remain to firmly attached to the retina and can tear a hole in the retina. This can quickly lead to retinal detachment. This is a very serious complication and requires prompt treatment. The symptoms of the dangerous retinal detachment are very similar to the normal vitreous detachment-flashes and floaters. The only way to tell is one is OK or not is to have a dilated examination of the retina within a day or two of the start of symptoms.
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Closed weekdays from 1:00 - 2:00
