If you are experiencing tiny threads when looking at objects, just like the dust on camera lens, it may be due to floaters and flashes in the eye. Floaters and flashes are caused by the natural shrinking of gel in the eye. Our ophthalmology services at American Hospital include the diagnosis and treatment for a diverse range of eye disorders, including floaters and flashes, which can help save your vision.
Floaters are tiny spots or shapes that appear when we look at something bright like sky, white paper or wall. Floaters appear when the gel in the eye (vitreous humor) starts shrinking, forming tiny clumps in front of the retina, which appear as tiny spots, lines, and different shapes in the eye. Sometimes, these clumps may become irritating as you move your eyeball in different directions, but mostly floaters and flashes are not harmful or painful, and rarely cause any problem. However, the condition needs to be taken seriously. If you notice floaters or flashes and experience pain too, seek immediate medical help from an Ophthalmologist for a thorough diagnosis and timely treatment.
Further to aging, there are several factors directly responsible for causing the appearance of floaters and flashes, and related complications in eyes. These include:
• Eye Inflammation:The condition may be caused by the inflammation in the back of uveitis (layers of the eye). As a result, debris or tiny particles are released in the vitreous, which appear as floaters in the eye.
• Retinal Detachment: It separates retinal cells from blood vessels, cutting off the supply of oxygen and nourishment to retina and eyes. It causes floaters and flashes, and may lead to the loss of vision if it goes untreated.
• Eye surgery: Floaters may appear in the eye after undergoing an eye surgery for cataracts and/or diabetic retinopathy. During the surgery, different medicines are injected into the eye that appears as floaters in the eye later.
• Migraines: Flashes are caused by migraines that are usually the result of stress and depression. Migraines also have a severe effect on vision.
• Diabetic Retinopathy: As a consequence of diabetic retinopathy, the blood present in the retina moves into the vitreous humor, causing blurry vision, and dark spots or streaks in the vision, eventually appearing as floaters and flashes while looking at different directions.
• Eye infections: Certain eye infections due to an eye injury or inflammation may lead to the appearance of floaters and flashes.
In addition to the aforementioned causes, there are various underlying factors that elevate the risk of developing this optical disorder. These may include:
• Eye trauma
• Nearsightedness
Sometimes new floaters can be a sign of a retinal tear or retinal detachment. To prevent further complications, it’s important to be watchful of the following signs and symptoms. Floaters and flashes manifest themselves as:
• Tiny shapes in eyes that appear as transparent threads
• Spots that are visible when you look at the sky or on a plain wall
• Specks in the eyes
• Cobwebs or spider like shapes when looking at bright sky
• Occasional appearance and disappearanceof lines and spots
• Discomfort while looking around
In case of experiencing the above listed signs and symptoms, it’s advisable to consult an eye specialist for diagnosis and prevention of any complication.
To diagnose the floaters in the eye, your ophthalmologist will conduct an eye exam and dilate the pupil to look closely in the eye. The doctor will look for any floaters in the eye, make a diagnosis and develop a customized treatment plan to effectively address symptoms.
At American Hospital, our ophthalmologists provide state-of-the-art ophthalmology services to address a full spectrum of eye disorder, including floaters and flashes. To address complicated cases of this eye disorder, our eye care specialists provide the following surgical solutions:
• Eye surgery: It’s a minimally invasive procedure, carried out to remove vitreous humor from the eyes, and replace it with the solution that mimics vitreous.
• Laser treatment: In this procedure, the ophthalmologist strikes a laser beam onto the floaters in the eye to break them into tiny particles, which are then completely removed from the eyes.
However, what treatment will work best for you will only be determined by an Eye care Specialist. Book a consultation with your ophthalmologist and seek complete details for an effective treatment.
The medical staff at American Hospital’s Ophthalmology department comprises highly experienced Eye Consultants and Surgeons as well as Ophthalmic trained nurses who guide patients in every step of their journey towards healing and recovery.
If you are experiencing floaters and flashes while looking at objects around you, interrupting your sight and causing discomfort then seek immediate consultation with an eye care specialist on our panel of Ophthalmologists at American Hospital Dubai by filling the secure online booking form, appearing on your screen.
