If you experience flashes or light or suddenly start seeing floaters, it’s best not to ignore these events, but rather to quickly schedule an appointment to see us, as although most of the time flashes and floaters are benign, sometimes they can be a sign of a sight threatening problem.
If you have no experienced any trauma to your eye or head, it is often the case that flashes and floaters are due to a Posterior Vitreous Detachment (PVD). PVD is a very common eye condition. It’s caused by natural changes to the vitreous gel which takes up the space inside the eye. Although PVD causes some frustrating symptoms it doesn’t cause pain, harm the eye or cause permanent loss of vision. Sometimes, a PVD can either be accompanied by or a warning sign of retinal tears which can lead to retinal detachment and vision loss. Retinal detachment must be diagnosed and repaired quickly.
If you or someone you know experiences floaters please call your local optometrist to schedule an appointment. If specialty care, treatment or surgery is required, please ask to be referred to one of the physicians at Eyecare Medical Group, 53 Sewall Street, Portland, Maine 04102 at 888-374-2020, or visit Eyecare Medical Group, Google+ or facebook.com/eyecaremedicalgroup.
