Services -> Eye Conditions -> Eye Floaters and Flashes
Eye floaters are figures with different shapes and sizes that appear in your eyesight. They are sometimes normal after certain conditions, especially after applying pressure to the eyes. But ongoing and sustained eye floaters can indicate an eye condition.
They are commonly reported in different sizes and shapes. They are usually similar to passing clouds or cobwebs, sometimes look like black specs or similar to a bug flying around in the visual field. When you try to stare directly at them, they move along with your eyes.
Floaters are formed on the inside of the eye. Deep within, we have a substance known as vitreous gel. This substance sometimes creates clumps or strands that project shadows on the retina and create the form of floaters in your visual field. Floaters are completely harmless, usually noticed when patients are reading or looking at a white background or up at the sky.
However, the appearance of certain types of floaters and flashes can be a sign that something is happening to the retina. For example, they also appear in cases of retinal detachment, a severe condition that needs to be treated as soon as possible.
As the name implies, eye flashes look like camera flashes, somewhat similar to an arc of light or a lightning streak. Eye flashes develop in the back of the eye, very similar to eye floaters. The vitreous gel starts pulling away and you start having these in your visual field. They are usually more persistent than eye floaters, and may stay in your eyesight for a few weeks to a few months.
Experiencing floaters and flashes can be completely benign, but some people have to be extra careful, especially if they have a higher risk factor for severe eye conditions. Talk to your doctor and report floaters and flashes if you have the following risk factors:
Contact your ophthalmologist as soon as possible if you have one of the following warning signs and symptoms:
In most cases, floaters and flashes go away by themselves, but some of them remain for a long time. There is no current treatment for this type of persistent floaters. Most cases are not serious, but you need to be evaluated by your doctor if you have the warning symptoms above or belong to a high-risk group as listed above.
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Our specialists at Texas Eye and Cataract will gladly provide assistance if you have concerns, doubts or questions about eye floaters and flashes. If you experience any alarming signs and symptoms, be sure to talk to us and do not wait for longer. We can also assist you in the event you need guidance about eye-related ailments such as cataracts and glaucoma. We offer top-notch technology to our patients and the best equipment available as of now. You can locate our medical centers in Texas, at various places that include Waxahachie, Mansfield, Corsicana, Ennis, DeSoto, Waco, Red Oak, Midlothian, Lancaster, Ferris, Palmer, Athens, and Cleburne. You could alternatively fill out an appointment form or call us at 469-505-2020.
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Copyright © 2022 Texas Eye and Cataract. All rights reserved.