What are flashes and floaters?

If you are seeing a floating spot, you are not alone. Many people experience these floating spots. Floaters can appear suddenly and have many shapes and sizes. They can look like little bugs, threads, or cobwebs. Sometimes you may also have the sensation of flashing lights (flashes).

How do they occur?

Flashes and floaters result from changes in the vitreous. The vitreous is the gel that fills most of the eyeball. Flashes and floaters can occur at any age.

As you get older, you may suddenly see a large floater. As part of normal aging, the vitreous gets more watery and begins to separate from the back of the eye or retina. After separating, the vitreous moves forward, floating in the middle of the eye cavity, causing you to see a large floater. This process is called a vitreous detachment, and is most common after age 55.

What are the symptoms?

• You see spots that look like little bugs, threads, or cobwebs.

• The spots usually shift away from your focus when you try to look at them and are most noticeable in bright light.

• Sometimes you also see flashing lights.

How are they treated?

Most floaters don't require treatment. However, sometimes floaters are a symptom of a tear in the retina. This is a potentially serious problem that usually requires treatment. Without treatment, fluid could leak through the tear and cause the retina to detach. The only treatment for a detached retina is surgery.

The warning signs of a retinal tear or detachment include seeing many new flashing lights or showers of many new floaters, blurred vision, or a curtainlike blockage of vision. If you experience these symptoms, call your doctor right away.

How long do the effects last?

Floaters not caused by a retinal tear or detachment are a nuisance, but harmless. They may never go away completely, but they tend to become much less noticeable with time. However, if the floaters or flashes are a symptom of a retinal detachment, permanent and severe loss of vision could result without treatment.