Floaters and Flashes

Think of the eye as an empty sphere that is filled with many small fibers that crisscross each other and attach to the inside lining of the eye from one wall to the other. These fibers are very fine and are encased in a gel or vitreous which is solid when we are born.

When the eye moves, the fibers and the solid gel move as one unit. As we age, the gel becomes more liquid and the fibers begin to move around in the gel as it becomes more liquid. You can think of it like seaweed in a clear fish tank as the current flows from the filter and the seaweed waves back and forth in the water current.

As the gel becomes more liquid, the fibers move more freely and the fibers and the gel can pull loose from their attachment to the wall of the eye. Usually one end of the fiber will break loose and curl on itself while one end is still attached and the patient can see his "floater" which may appear like a string or a bubble or a clump of hairs. The "floater" is so named because as you look at it and attempt to see it, the fiber moves away and then floats back. This floating effect occurs because usually one end is still attached, just like the seaweed in that tank.

The flashes occur because as the fibers pull on the retina before they break loose, they stimulate the retina which is the inside lining of your eye. The retina is an extension of your brain tissue and does not have pain fibers so what you see is a flash of light rather than feeling pain. If I pulled a hair on your head or arm you would fell pain. Usually the fiber breaks away cleanly producing the "floater' but sometimes it can tear the retina leading to a detachment of the retina which can lead to loss of vision or blindness if the retina detaches. You will hear this described as a vitreous detachment or posterior vitreous detachment.

So if you experience flashes and floaters, you should immediately have a dilated exam to make sure you do not have a retinal tear or detachment.

Floaters are very common and occur more frequently as we age because the gel or vitreous is becoming more liquid with age. There are other causes of floaters such as bleeding in the eye so definitely get an exam if you suddenly notice flashes or floaters.

Fortunately, most floaters due not cause harm and your brain allows you to ignore them over a period of time by adapting.

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