One of the most common symptoms patients share with us usually go something like this: "HELP! I'm seeing black things flying around in front of me and no one else can see them." Or "there's lightening in my house!" Flashing lights and dark floaters are things that bring patients in to see us every day.
The most common cause of "Flashes and Floaters" is changes in the vitreous jelly, the jell that fills the center of the eye. The vitreous is very important for the development of the eye until we reach the age of 2. After that it's just there to cause mischief! One of the mischievious things it does is shrink. In the beginning stages of this shrinking the microcsopic protein skeleton that makes the vitreous a jell collapses on itself and you get bits of protein debris...FLOATERS!
In time the vitreous shrinks to the point where it starts to separate from the inside of the eye. When this happens the vitreous tugs on the retina. It doesn't matter what you do to the retina it will give off a sensation of light. So, when the vitreous contracts and puts some pulling on the retina you get a FLASH!
The danger, of course, is that when the vitreous pulls itself off the retina it can take a piece of the retina with it, causing a hole or a tear. That's why it's important to call your Skyvision Centers eye doctor and come in for a visit if you have new FLASHES AND FLOATERS!
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