Q:
What are they?
A: Floaters appear to most people as small specks, cobwebs
or strands of fiber which move slowly across the field of vision.
Flashes appear as sudden brief glints of light. Both floaters
and flashes commonly occur as we grow older.
Q: What causes them?
A: As
we mature, the vitreous gel shrinks and pulls away from the
retina. Floaters are formed from the reorganization of the
vitreous material and from some fragments of the retina which
have been pulled into the vitreous cavity. Floaters are especially
common in nearsighted people, in people who have suffered severe
eye injuries and after eye surgery. Although uncommon, floaters
can also result from inflammation within the eye or from crystal-like
deposits which form in the vitreous gel. When the vitreous gel
which fills the inside of the eye rubs or pulls on the retina,
it sometimes produces the illusion of flashing lights or lightening
streaks called flashes. The flashes of light may appear off
and on for several weeks or months. On rare occasions, light
flashes accompany a large number of new floaters and even a
partial loss or shadowing of side vision. When this happens,
prompt examination is important to determine if a torn retina
or retinal detachment has occurred.
Q: Can they
be prevented?
A:
No.
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Q: How are
they detected?
A: The ophthalmoscope
is frequently used to examine both the central and peripheral
retina which will detect the presence of floaters and/or flashes.
The slit-lamp, combining a microscope with a strong illumination,
is often used with a hand held lens, allowing portions of
the retina to be seen in greater detail.
Some patients
are given an intravenous injection of fluorescein dye in a
procedure called "fluorescein angiography". The
dye which takes only moments to reach the eye, makes tiny
blood vessels visible, enabling photographs to be taken for
later study.
Q: How are
they treated?
A: Although
annoying, floaters are not usually vision threatening and
do not require treatment. Often floaters diminish and become
less bothersome over time. If a floater appears directly in
the line of vision, moving the eye around will often help.
In cases where floaters do indicate a more serious condition,
lasers can be used to prevent vision loss.
Like floaters,
unless they represent the symptoms of a more serious condition,
flashes do not require treatment. Flashes which are a result
of the vitreous pulling away from the retina will eventually
stop. However, flashes may indicate retinal detachment which
needs immediate medical attention
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