Floaters and Flashes
Department of Ophthalmology
Surgery and Critical Care Group
This leaflet has been designed to
provide you or a carer information
about Floaters and Flashes in your
vision.
Introduction
This leaflet is to provide you or your carer
information about floaters and flashes in your
vision.
It aims to answer any questions you or your
carers may have and to reinforce the
information provided by the Doctor in the eye
clinic.
What are floaters and flashes?
Floaters are shapes that drift across your
vision. The form of these is variable, they
may for example be small dots or irregular
shaped strands.
Flashes are quick, sudden flashes of light
that can happen when the eyes are open or
closed.
What causes floaters and flashes?
The main body of the eye known as the
vitreous separates from the retina at the back
of the eye, remaining attached at the front of
the eye.
As it comes away from the retina, the retina
is stimulated mechanically and produces the
sensation of flashes.
Similarly the vitreous separation causes the
fine fibrils of the vitreous to come together,
and those clumps cause shadows (floaters)
which you can see.
In addition, the nearer the floater is to the
retina the denser the shadow which is cast,
so floaters tend to be most troublesome at
the beginning.
As the vitreous separates from the retina the
floaters move away from the retina and the
symptoms decrease.
The cause of vitreous shrinkage is unknown,
although it’s more likely to happen in myopic
(short sighted) people and the elderly
population.
Risks involved with floaters and
flashes
Generally you should not be concerned
about seeing one or two floaters in your
vision; almost everyone sees some type of
floaters at some point in their lives.
Occasionally the symptoms can indicate
more than a simple shrinkage of the vitreous.
It is possible for the vitreous to be
abnormally, strongly attached to the retina,
so as the vitreous shrinks; a tear develops in
the retina.
Sometimes this can lead to retinal
detachment. It is therefore important to have
the eyes examined to confirm the cause of
the floaters is due to vitreous shrinkage.
More importantly to examine the retina,
looking for holes or even tears is an early
sign of retinal detachment.
If a tear has developed then laser treatment
can be given, to seal the hole.
A sudden increase in the number of
floaters
White flashing lights
The appearance of a shadow, like a
curtain coming over the vision
A cobweb effect appearing in the vision
Loss of vision
Reference Section
Kanski J 2006 Clinical Ophthalmology
Butterworth-Heinemann London.
Treatment
Most symptoms (floaters) settle down on
their own, or the person learns to ignore
them, with no need for treatment.
Contact details for Further
Information
For further information please discuss with
the person providing your care.
Alternatives
Concerns and Queries
A few people do have vitreous surgery for
the symptoms, but only if the vision is
severely affected.
If you have any concerns / queries about any
of the services offered by the Trust, in the
first instance, please speak to the person
providing your care.
Vitreous surgery does carry risks and so is
only offered when the vision is substantially
reduced by the vitreous opacities.
If a retinal tear is found with examination,
they are usually treated by laser treatment in
the outpatient department.
In effect the laser "spot welds" the retina
surrounding the hole preventing fluid from
passing through, holding the retina in place.
Points to remember
Most people with floaters and flashes need
no treatment at all. Once the retina has been
thoroughly examined to exclude holes and
tears, all that is necessary is that you report
any new symptoms that occur, such as:
For Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital
Alternatively you can contact the Patient
Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on
(01472) 875403 or at the PALS office which
is situated near the main entrance.
For Scunthorpe General Hospital
Alternatively you can contact the Patient
Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on
(01724) 290132 or at the PALS office which
situated on C Floor.
Alternatively you can email:
nlg-tr.PALS@nhs.net
Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS
Foundation Trust
Diana Princess of Wales Hospital
Scartho Road
Grimsby
01472 874111
Scunthorpe General Hospital
Cliff Gardens
Scunthorpe
01724 282282
Goole & District Hospital
Woodland Avenue
Goole
01405 720720
www.nlg.nhs.uk
Date of issue: February, 2014
Review Period: February, 2017
Author: CNS Ophthalmology
IFP-378 v2.1
© NLGFT 2014