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Dots and lines (floaters) or flashes of light in your vision are common. They're not usually serious. Check if you have floaters and flashes. Floaters in your vision can look like: small dark dots; squiggly lines; rings; cobwebs; Flashes look like sudden flashes of light. They're usually harmless and not a sign of anything serious, especially if:
- Retinal Detachment
A detached retina is when the thin layer at the back of your...
- Retinal Detachment
a dark patch in your eye that's getting bigger. partial or total loss of vision. bulging of 1 eye. a lump on your eyelid or in your eye that's increasing in size. eye irritation that is not going away. pain in or around your eye, although this is rare.
- What causes eye floaters?
- When are eye floaters an emergency?
- How are eye floaters treated?
- What happens if eye floaters are not treated?
- How can you prevent eye floaters?
Age-related changes to the eye are the most common cause of eye floaters. The cornea and lens at the front of the eye focus light onto the retina at the back of the eye.
As the light passes from the front of the eye to the back, it passes through the vitreous humor, a jelly-like substance inside your eyeball.
Changes to the vitreous humor can lead to eye floaters. This is a common part of aging and is known as vitreous syneresis.
The thick vitreous begins to liquefy with age, and the inside of the eyeball becomes crowded with debris and deposits. The microscopic fibers inside the vitreous begin to clump together.
As they do, the debris can be caught in the path of the light as it passes through your eye. This will cast shadows on your retina, causing eye floaters.
Less common causes of eye floaters include:
Call your ophthalmologist or eye care provider immediately if you see eye floaters and:
•they begin occurring more frequently or the floater changes in intensity, size, or shape
•you see flashes of light
•you lose your peripheral (side) vision
•you develop eye pain
•you have blurred vision or a loss of vision
Most eye floaters don’t need any type of treatment. They are often only a nuisance in otherwise healthy people, and they rarely signal a more serious problem.
If a floater is temporarily obstructing your vision, roll your eyes from side to side and up and down to move the debris. As the fluid in your eye shifts, so will the floaters.
However, eye floaters can impair your vision, especially if the underlying condition worsens. The floaters may become so bothersome and numerous that you have difficulty seeing.
If this occurs, in rare cases your doctor may recommend treatment in the form of laser removal or surgery.
In laser removal, your ophthalmologist uses a laser to break up the eye floaters and make them less noticeable in your vision. Laser removal is not widely used because it’s considered experimental and carries serious risks such as retinal damage.
Another treatment option is surgery. Your ophthalmologist can remove the vitreous during a procedure called a vitrectomy.
Eye floaters are rarely troublesome enough to cause additional problems, unless they are a symptom of a more serious condition. Though they will never fully disappear, they often improve over the course of a few weeks or months.
Most eye floaters occur as part of the natural aging process. While you can’t prevent eye floaters, you can make sure they’re not the result of a larger problem.
As soon as you begin noticing eye floaters, see your ophthalmologist or optometrist. They will want to make sure your eye floaters are not a symptom of a more serious condition that could damage your vision.
Oct 23, 2024 · Eye floaters are spots you might see in your field of vision. They appear as gray or black specks, cobwebs, or strings that float around when your eyes move. If you try to look at them directly, they will dart away quickly. Some spots can move around, while other floaters appear stationary.
- 3 min
Aug 31, 2024 · Retinal detachment: Retina pulls away from the back of the eye; causes floaters, flashes of light, and sometimes a curtain coming up over your vision. Retinopathy: A generalized term for disorders that affect the retina; causing wavy lines, double vision, dark spots, vision loss, floaters, and blindness.
Jul 2, 2024 · A gray curtain or blurry area that blocks part of your vision. Darkness on a side or sides of your vision (peripheral vision loss) These painless symptoms could be caused by a retinal tear, with or without a retinal detachment. This is a sight-threatening condition that requires immediate attention. Mayo Clinic Minute: What are eye floaters?
Jul 2, 2024 · However, flashes and floaters can occasionally be warning signs of a serious condition, such as a retinal tear or retinal detachment. Haloes are bright circles which seem to surround a source of light. They are also referred to as glare. They are a common symptom, particularly in older people.
