Seek Care now if You Have:

• A sudden increase in floaters, especially a shower of new specks
• Flashes of light (like brief flickers or lightning streaks)
• A dark curtain or shadow moving across your vision
• Gray or dark areas in your peripheral vision
• Blurred or distorted vision that develops suddenly

Understanding Flashes and Floaters

What it is:

Floaters appear as dark spots, strings, or specks drifting in your vision, often due to age-related changes in the eye's vitreous gel. This process, called posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), is usually harmless but can sometimes cause the vitreous to pull on the retina, leading to a retinal tear or detachment. Flashes are brief flickers or streaks of light. While some floaters are benign, new or sudden flashes and floaters require immediate evaluation as they can indicate sight-threatening conditions like retinal tears, holes, or detachment which need urgent treatment to prevent permanent vision loss.

When to Seek Care:

Seek immediate evaluation if you experience a sudden increase in floaters (especially a shower of new specks), new flashes of light, a dark curtain or shadow moving across your vision, gray or dark areas in your peripheral vision, or sudden blurred or distorted vision.

Critically, go to the nearest ER or call 911 if you experience:

• Sudden total loss of vision in one or both eyes
• Severe headache, dizziness, or slurred speech (possible stroke)
• Head trauma with vision loss
• Severe eye pain with nausea (possible acute glaucoma)
• Profound confusion, seizures, or sudden loss of consciousness

How We Help:

Dr. Said and our team of board-certified ophthalmologists provide advanced emergency evaluations for retinal concerns. To differentiate benign floaters from a retinal emergency, we perform a thorough dilated eye exam using specialized equipment like slit lamp biomicroscopy and indirect ophthalmoscopy. Retinal imaging or visual field testing may also be done. If a retinal tear or detachment is found, we provide immediate coordination with retinal specialists for laser treatment or surgery.