Eye Floaters, Spots & Flashers

Eye floaters, spots and flashers are small moving spots that may appear in your field of vision and are particularly noticeable when you look at bright lights or single colour objects (such as a piece of white paper or the sky).While eye floaters can be incredibly annoying, they generally don't interfere with your sight and many people learn to live with them. The condition often improves over time.Eye floaters can, however, be indicative of a more serious condition, particularly if they're accompanied by sudden flashes of light or a sudden loss of peripheral vision. If you experience these symptoms, or want to learn more about eye floaters and flashers, you should book an eye exam.

Causes & risk factors

• Often caused by small flecks of protein or other matter that became trapped when your eyes formed in utero.
• Can also be caused by the vitreous fluid as it deteriorates due to aging.
• Certain eye diseases can cause the appearance of spots.

Symptoms

• These spots can appear as specks, threadlike strands or cobwebs.
• The specs move as your eyes move and seem to dart away when you try to look at them directly.
• Floaters and spots rarely affect vision.
• If you experience flashes or a sudden occurrence this may be a more serious problem and require an immediate eye examination

Treatment

An optometrist can determine if what you are seeing is harmless or the symptom of a more serious problem that requires treatment.

Sometimes surgical management might be necessary.

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