Read This. It May Save Your Sight

Seeing Flashes, floaters and shadows may indicate you have a potentially blinding eye condition. But don’t panic these symptoms are very common and are only the result of a serious eye condition in a small percentage of people. Its best to seek prompt examination from your Optometrist to see if you do have a retinal tear, or retinal detachment.

Flashes and floaters in your vision occurs when the vitreous (jelly inside your eye) pulls away from the retina. As is pulls away it causes nerves to fire with the resultant flash. The floaters are pieces of detached vitreous. Sometimes when the vitreous pulls away from the retina it tears a hole in it. This hole can cause the retina to detach which is a serious condition.

Retinal tears can generally be treated with laser to weld around the hole to prevent it enlarging. While there are treatments for retinal detachment, sight loss or partial sight loss is possible.

Sometimes people can confuse visual aura (ocular migrane) with flashes. Visual aura can be differentiated from flashes as they present as shimmery vision, coloured patches in vision and spots of vision missing. Visual aura generally goes away in under 15 minutes, where as flashes from retinal problems do not.

If you experience either visual aura or flashes and floaters you should see your Optometrist as soon as you can.