Glens Falls Office

(518) 792-4140

Saratoga Office

(518) 587-2020

Floaters and Flashes

Flashes and floaters are common symptoms which often affect normal eyes.  They usually occur because of changes that happen in the jelly-like substance inside the eye (which is called the vitreous humour).  The most common causes need no treatment, do not prevent your normal visual tasks and tend to settle by themselves.  However, flashes and floaters can occasionally be warning symptoms of retinal tear or retinal detachment.

At Bay Optical, we're here to help patients find relief from flashes and floaters with high-quality eye care. By visiting our eye doctor, you can determine whether your flashes and floaters are a sign of something serious and get the treatment you need.

Floaters and Flashes

What Are Flashes and Floaters?

Flashes are unexplained brief lights seen in one or both eyes.  They often occur on the edges of vision and they are fairly common.  Each flash, which can vary from a bright light to almost a sparkle, lasts a varying length of time.  Periods of flashing can go on for several months.  The symptoms are often most noticeable when going from a light to a dark room.

Floaters are shapes (opacities) floating in the field of vision.  They may look like spots, threads, spiders or cobwebs.  They move as you move your eye and can seem to dart away when you try and look at them.  They drift about inside the eye rather than staying still.  They tend to be more obvious when bright objects, such as blue sky, are being viewed.  Most floaters are also caused by changes in the vitreous humour.  Most commonly this is due to normal ageing of the eye, when opacities form in the clear jelly and drift around.  These kinds of floater are not associated with flashes or reduction in your vision and they tend to come on gradually.  They also tend to "settle" at the bottom of the eye, below the line of sight.  After a while you will find them less noticeable.  They are more common in those who are short-sighted , those who have had eye surgery and those who have diabetic eye disease.

Do I Need to Visit an Eye Doctor?

You should seek urgent advice about floaters and flashes if they are very marked or sudden in onset.  You should also seek urgent advice if they are associated with changes in your vision, or if both floaters and flashes are occurring together.  An optometrist at our practice will conduct an eye exam and help determine if your flashes and floaters are due to a more serious condition. Sometimes floaters and flashes can indicate signs of a retinal detachment.

If you notice more floaters and flashes in your field of vision, then it might be a good idea to visit an eye doctor on our team for eye care.  An optometrist at our practice will conduct an eye exam and help determine if your flashes and floaters are due to a more serious condition.

This is a condition where the retina in the back of the eye becomes damaged or detached from the eye. This is usually accompanied by other severe symptoms such as loss of vision. In addition, if you have pre-existing medical conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes that cause flashes and floaters. 

Find Eye Care with Us at Bay Optical

Get the eye care you need from our eye doctor to treat your floaters and flashes. See clearer and ease your mind by scheduling an appointment. Call us at Bay Optical serving (518) 792-4140 Glens Falls and (518) 587-2020 Saratoga Springs/Wilton, NY.

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Hours of Operation

Glens Falls

Monday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:30 am-7:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

8:30 am-7:00 pm

Friday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

By Appt.

Sunday:

Closed

Saratoga Springs (*Lunch daily from 1:30p - 2:30p)

Monday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

9:00 am-7:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-7:00 pm

Friday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

By Appt.

Sunday:

Closed