Floaters & Flashes
Floaters are described as specks or clouds moving around in your vision. They can have different shapes including dots, circles, lines, clouds or cobwebs and are often described as having a bug moving in front of your vision. Floaters are actually tiny clumps of gel in the fluid of your eye, which casts shadows on the back of the eye. These floaters are more common in people who are nearsighted, have undergone cataract surgery, have had laser surgery or have had bleeding or inflammation inside the eye.
Flashes of light occur when the gel pulls away from the wall of the eye and can cause a retinal tear or detachment. These flashes of light usually occur in the peripheral, or side vision. This may be a sign of torn retina and you should contact your ophthalmologist immediately.
Floaters and flashes of light become more common as we grow older. While not all floaters and flashes are serious, you should always have an examination by an ophthalmologist to make sure there has been no damage to your retina.