Have you ever noticed small, shadowy shapes drifting across your field of vision? Or perhaps experienced sudden, brief flashes of light, like a camera going off in your peripheral vision? These phenomena, known as floaters and flashes, are common visual experiences. While often harmless, they can sometimes signal a serious underlying eye condition that requires immediate attention.
 

At Apollo Vision Haus, your trusted eye care center in the Houston Heights area, we want to ensure you understand these symptoms and know when to seek professional help.

What Are Floaters?

Floaters can appear as small dark dots, specks, squiggly lines, rings, or cobweb-like strands that seem to float in front of your eyes. They are particularly noticeable when you're looking at a plain, bright background, like a clear blue sky or a white wall.

These "floaters" are actually tiny clumps of cells or protein that are suspended within the vitreous humor – the clear, gel-like substance that fills the inside of your eye. What you perceive are the shadows these clumps cast on your retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye.

What Are Flashes?

Flashes of light can look like lightning streaks, bright spots, or shooting stars in your vision. They often appear in your peripheral (side) vision and can occur intermittently.

These flashes happen when the vitreous gel inside your eye pulls, rubs, or tugs on the retina. This physical stimulation causes the retina to send electrical impulses to your brain, which your brain interprets as light.

Common Causes: Often Age-Related Changes

For many people, especially as they get older (typically over 50), the most common cause of new floaters and sometimes flashes is a Posterior Vitreous Detachment (PVD).

• Understanding PVD: As we age, the vitreous gel naturally liquefies and shrinks. Eventually, it can pull away from the retina at the back of the eye. This separation is a PVD.

• Symptoms of PVD: A PVD can cause a sudden increase in floaters (sometimes one large one, often described as a cobweb) and may be accompanied by flashes of light.

• Is PVD Serious? In most cases, a PVD is not sight-threatening. The floaters and flashes may be annoying but often become less noticeable over weeks or months as your brain learns to ignore them and the floaters settle.

When Flashes and Floaters Signal an Emergency

While PVD is common and often benign, the symptoms of flashes and floaters can also be warning signs of more serious conditions that can lead to permanent vision loss if not treated promptly. These include:

• Retinal Tear: Sometimes, as the vitreous gel pulls away during a PVD, it can tug hard enough on the retina to create a tear. A retinal tear is a serious condition because it can allow fluid from within the eye to seep underneath the retina.

• Retinal Detachment: If fluid accumulates under a retinal tear, it can lift the retina away from the back wall of the eye, much like wallpaper peeling off a wall. This is a retinal detachment. When the retina is detached, it cannot function properly, leading to vision loss. A retinal detachment is a medical emergency.

Other Potential Causes:

Migraine with Aura (Ocular Migraine): Some people experience visual disturbances, including flashing lights, zigzag patterns, or shimmering spots, as part of a migraine aura. These symptoms are typically temporary, often lasting 20-30 minutes, and may or may not be followed by a headache. While different from retinal flashes, any new visual disturbances warrant an eye exam to rule out other causes.

• Eye Injury or Inflammation: Trauma to the eye or certain inflammatory conditions can also cause flashes and floaters.

What To Do If You Experience Flashes and Floaters: Seek Prompt Eye Care

Because it's impossible to tell on your own whether your flashes and floaters are due to a harmless PVD or a sight-threatening retinal tear or detachment, it's crucial to take the following steps:

See Your Eye Doctor at Apollo Vision Haus Immediately If You Notice:

• Sudden onset of new floaters, especially if there are many of them (a "shower" of floaters).

• Sudden appearance of new flashes of light.

• A dark curtain or shadow appearing in your peripheral (side) vision and gradually spreading.

• A sudden decrease in vision or blurry vision accompanying flashes or floaters.

• Floaters or flashes that appear after an eye injury.

Do not wait to see if the symptoms will go away on their own. Timely intervention is critical for treating retinal tears and detachments and preserving your vision.

What to Expect During Your Eye Exam

When you visit Apollo Vision Haus for sudden flashes or floaters, our experienced optometrists will perform a comprehensive dilated eye examination. This involves:

1. Discussion of Symptoms: We'll ask you about the onset, nature, and frequency of your flashes and floaters.

2. Vision Check: Your visual acuity will be assessed.

3. Pupil Dilation: Eye drops will be used to widen your pupils. This allows us to get a clear and thorough view of the vitreous and retina at the back of your eye. Dilation can temporarily make your vision blurry and sensitive to light, so it's a good idea to arrange for someone to drive you home.

4. Retinal Examination: Using specialized instruments and lenses, we will carefully examine your retina for any signs of tears, detachments, or other abnormalities.

Treatment Depends on the Cause

• Posterior Vitreous Detachment (PVD): If a PVD is diagnosed and there are no associated retinal tears, usually no specific treatment is needed. We will advise you on warning signs to watch for (like an increase in symptoms) that would necessitate a return visit.

• Retinal Tear: If a retinal tear is found, it can often be treated in a timely manner with a laser procedure (photocoagulation) or a freezing treatment (cryopexy). These procedures aim to create a scar around the tear, "welding" the retina to the back of the eye and preventing fluid from passing through, thus reducing the risk of a retinal detachment.

• Retinal Detachment: If a retinal detachment has occurred, surgical intervention is usually required to reattach the retina. The specific type of surgery will depend on the nature and extent of the detachment. Prompt surgery offers the best chance of restoring vision.

Don't Ignore the Warning Signs

Your vision is precious. While occasional, long-standing floaters might be normal for you, any new, sudden, or significant change in flashes or floaters should be evaluated by an eye care professional without delay.

The team at Apollo Vision Haus in Houston Heights is equipped and ready to provide urgent assessments for these potentially serious symptoms. If you experience any of the warning signs described above, please contact us immediately to schedule an emergency appointment. Taking swift action can make all the difference in protecting your sight.