Information for patients with flashes and floaters

Flashes of light or black floaters that look like spiders/tadpoles are quite commonly seen by people with normal eyes and may well have been present for many years. They occur because of changes in the vitreous jelly, which lies directly in front of the retina. Any changes in the vitreous jelly can give rise to the appearance of floaters but do not usually lead to any serious problems. No treatment is therefore necessary.

Separation or detachment of the vitreous from the retina is a common phenomenon particularly in people over 50 years of age. In 99 per cent of patients this is an entirely innocent change with no damage to the retina. Floaters can either remain the same, become less noticeable with time or can get completely better.

If they are troublesome, the effect of floaters may be minimized by wearing dark glasses. This will help especially in bright sunlight or when looking at a brightly lit surface or white background.

Symptoms to look for;

A decrease or loss of vision
An increase in the number of floaters
Flashes
A curtain effect with your vision.

Lid Hygiene Scrubs

Mix a solution of Baby shampoo and warm water – 5 parts water to 1 part shampoo. Using a clean cotton wool ball and the solution, clean along the eyelashes and lids. Do this to both eyes and repeat every night.

Warm Compresses

Rinse a clean facecloth with hot water
Squeeze out the facecloth and hold onto the closed eyes
Repeat this every other night