Flashes and Floaters

As we start to age, flashes and floaters happen because the vitreous fluid between your lens and the retina starts to congeal and shrivel, which creates clumping. When the fluid becomes too clumpy, it can create floaters or dark lines that cast shade onto the retina.

In many cases, floaters subside on their own. However, sometimes they indicate a small tear on the retina, which could potentially worsen into a retinal detachment.

Retinal detachments often result in the need for surgery and could lead to permanent loss of vision. For this reason, new floaters should be examined at your earliest convenience. During a dilated eye exam, one of our experienced surgeons will be able to determine whether your floater(s) is a normal change of the vitreous gel or whether it will need treatment. When treatment is needed, laser is an option that can be chosen to heal, seal, and barricade the tear to prevent retinal detachment.