Conditions Treated at Empire Eye Physicians

Floaters are little “cobwebs” or specks that float about in your field of vision. They are small, dark, shadowy shapes that can look like spots, thread-like strands, or squiggly lines. They move as your eyes move and seem to dart away when you try to look at them directly. They do not follow your eye movements precisely and usually drift when your eyes stop moving. Most people have floaters and learn to ignore them; they are usually not noticed until they become numerous or more prominent. Floaters can become apparent when looking at something bright, such as white paper or a blue sky.

Floaters are usually not bothersome to the vision. In the rare circumstances where floaters do impair the vision, degenerative vitreous gel can be surgically removed to improve the quality of vision. This is evaluated and performed by your retina specialist.

A sudden shower of floaters can be a warning sign of a torn retina or abnormal retinal blood vessel. Your eye care specialist should evaluate a new shower of floaters as soon as possible. Your eye care provider should promptly evaluate the appearance of several new floaters – this can be a warning sign of disease or may be related to normal changes in the eye.

Flashes of light are typically seen as lightning bolts or streaks of bright white light in peripheral vision. They are most noted when the vitreous gel separates from the retina. This may trigger flashes of light. This is a warning sign that the retina may be at risk for a retinal tear or detachment. Separation of the vitreous gel occurs in almost everyone eventually; this normal process infrequently requires medical or surgical attention.

New flashes should be evaluated by the eye care specialist within a few days of onset to minimize the risk of vision loss.