A 50 year old woman calls our office complaining about little spots and fly like things floating in her vision and occasional flashing lights. We tell her to come in as soon as possible and we do a complete eye and retinal exam. She suffers from Vitreous Floaters, a normal condition.
This case scenario is played out many times every month, but should not be ignored if any one experiences these visual disturbances. Vitreous Floaters are small pieces of old retinal tissue that break off of the outer layer of the retina and float around in the jelly of the eye called the Vitreous. In most cases this is a benign condition, but can represent a much more serious condition. These bits of retinal tissue may have come from an area that left a small retinal hole or tear behind and the floater is the result of the tear. In all cases when there are floaters a complete dilated retinal exam must be performed as soon as possible. That is the only way to properly evaluate the retina. When there are flashes of light present as well the level of concern goes up since that may also indicate traction on the retina and can be more serious. If a hole or tear is discovered then usually laser treatment must be done in order to seal the anomaly and prevent further damage.
In some cases vitreous fluid or blood will fill the area where the floater originated resulting in a retinal detachment. This is a much more complicated condition and frequently requires retinal surgery to correct the problem. If left untreated it can result in total blindness in that eye.
Most often, the floaters either dissolve or reattach themselves some where in the eye and are no longer a visual issue. The problem is that over the course of our lives new ones are constantly forming. Thus even if one goes away, a new one is starting. In short, if an individual sees floaters he/she should see the eye doctor as soon as possible to rule out any retinal hole or tear. If there are flashes as well the level of urgency increases. A complete evaluation must include a dilated exam as well.
