What is Eye Floater?
Eye floaters are those pesky little dots that drift across your vision, always seeming to dart away when you try to focus on them directly. They are particularly noticeable when you look at a plain, bright background, like a blue sky or a white wall. Floaters can occasionally cause temporary blurry spots in your vision.
What are Eye Flashes?
Eye flashes, also known as photopsias, are brief bursts of light that appear in your field of vision, even when there’s no actual light source present. In this case, people see a flash of color or light.
What Causes Eye Floaters and Flashes?
Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD): As the vitreous gel pulls away from the retina (a common occurrence with aging), it can tug on the retina, stimulating it and creating the sensation of flashing lights. PVD isn’t painful and doesn’t usually cause vision loss, though it can potentially lead to complications that do.
Migraines: Some people experience visual disturbances, including flashes, before or during a migraine headache. These flashes often appear as jagged lines or shimmering patterns.
Sometimes a detached retina can cause eye floaters. A detached retina happens when your retina separates from your eyeball.
NOTE:
Sometimes, floaters and flashes happen because of things that aren’t very serious. These include:
Eye inflammation: This is when your eye gets red and swollen, sometimes because of an infection or other irritation.
Eye infections: Just like other parts of your body, your eyes can also get infections.
Eye injury: If you hurt your eye, it can sometimes cause floaters and flashes.
Strong cough: Coughing very hard can sometimes put pressure on your eyes.
Diabetes: This is a condition where your body has trouble controlling sugar levels in your blood.
Age- related issues: As we get older (usually between 50 and 75), the jelly inside our eyes shrinks and sometimes tugs on the retina. These tugs can make us see flashes of light.
It’s important to remember that while these causes are usually not very serious, it’s always best to get your eyes checked by a doctor if you notice any floaters or flashes, just to be safe. If you’re in Mumbai, you can visit Dr. Vaidya Eye Hospital for a comprehensive eye exam. Our expert ophthalmologists can diagnose the cause of your floaters and flashes and recommend any necessary treatment.
How To Reduce Eye Floaters and Flashes Naturally?
Proper hydration and a healthful diet can also provide the necessary nutrients to support eye health. If bright, outdoor environments seem to aggravate floaters, wearing sunglasses with proper ultraviolet (UV) protection is a good idea. If your floaters don’t fade naturally, or if they increase dramatically or are accompanied by flashes of light, contact Dr. Vaidya Eye Hospital.
READ MORE: Understanding UV Rays and Eye Damage
How are Eye Floaters and Flashes Treated?
If your eye floaters are significantly impacting your vision or quality of life, there are two primary treatment options available:
Surgery to remove the floater (vitrectomy):
This surgical procedure involves removing the vitreous gel from the eye, which is where the floaters are located.
The vitreous gel is replaced with a clear saline solution.
While effective in removing floaters, vitrectomy is a major surgery that carries risks such as retinal detachment, infection, and bleeding.
It is typically only recommended for severe cases where floaters significantly impair vision.
Laser treatment (vitreolysis):
This less invasive procedure uses a laser to break up the floaters into smaller pieces that are less noticeable.
It is generally safer than vitrectomy and has a shorter recovery time.
CONCLUSION:
If floaters in your eye are affecting your vision, we advice to take doctor consultation. We can provide you with more information about the available treatment options and help you decide on the best course of action.
Refer: Importance of regular eye check-ups
Contact us at 9004496621 for appointments.
Visit: Dr Vaidya Eye Hospital 202, 2nd Floor, Lotus Link Square, Andheri Link Rd, above Bank of Baroda, D.N. Nagar, Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400058.