Floaters before the eyes: causes, treatment and prevention

Flashes in the eyes are a false sensation in which a person sees luminous objects of various sizes and shapes. As a rule, these are flickering spots, lightning, balls, sparks.

Lightning before the eyes is not an independent disease. This is a symptom that, depending on the circumstances, may indicate harmless eye fatigue or cervical osteochondrosis, or a serious eye catastrophe - retinal detachment. It is one of the most common complaints of patients and, as a rule, is accompanied by another symptom - spots in front of the eyes, the appearance of a “curtain”.

Fig. 1 Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) is one of the common causes of lightning in the eyes (not dangerous)

Causes of flashes before the eyes

Sometimes such complaints are a benign condition associated with excessive visual stress or age-related changes in the eye. However, more often than not, the cause of outbreaks is a serious problem that requires immediate medical attention. The causes of the condition may be:

• Posterior vitreous detachment. The gel-like substance that fills the central part of the eye and is attached to the retina is called the vitreous body. With age, it gradually shrinks, peeling off from its original place. This process retracts the retina, causing flashes to appear in the eyes. Similar symptoms are noticeable when moving the eye. There is no specific treatment for this condition. However, patients with this diagnosis must undergo regular ophthalmological examinations. Sometimes, such symptoms hide a more dangerous pathology - retinal detachment, which can cause irreversible vision loss - blindness.
• Retinal detachment or tears. Very often, flashes of light are a symptom of a violation of the integrity of the retina and the beginning of its detachment. It is necessary to pay special attention to the situation if such a condition appears after physical activity (heavy lifting) or serious nervous stress. In this case, flashes of light are often accompanied by the appearance of a veil in front of the affected eye and a sudden decrease in visual acuity. In case of retinal detachment, urgent medical attention is required - surgery.
• Migraine. Similar visual symptoms may precede headache attacks. In this case, flashes of light take the form of bright white zigzags, sparks or geometric shapes. As a rule, they are localized in the periphery of the visual field in one eye or two at the same time. Light flashes of light in the eyes occur without headache attacks. This phenomenon is called ocular migraine. They do not fall within the competence of an ophthalmologist; they are dealt with by neurologists.
• Vascular diseases. Such pathologies include: hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, etc. Patients note the periodic occurrence of flashes before closed eyes or in the dark. The condition is caused by short-term vascular spasms with impaired blood circulation in the retinal tissue. As a rule, in this case, manifestations of angiopathy or retinopathy are visible in the fundus.
• Cervical osteochondrosis. When the vertebral arteries (pass in the bone canals of the cervical vertebrae) are compressed, the blood supply to the brain (including the cerebellum) is disrupted, so not only visual disturbances appear, but also dizziness. Often, vertebral artery syndrome (VAS) occurs in people who work at a computer for a long time and lead a sedentary lifestyle.
• Intracranial tumors of the occipital lobe of the brain. In this case, visible phenomena differ in shape and color and have a constant nature of occurrence.
• Inflammatory processes in the retina and choroid of the eye. The diseases that cause them are called retinitis and choroiditis and always occur against the background of accompanying signs of inflammation: blurred vision, decreased visual acuity.

What causes glare?

Glare occurs as a result of movement or tension of the retinal nerve cells. As the vitreous shrinks over time, it can pull on the retina, causing you to “see stars” or flashes of light. The process of separation of the vitreous from the retina is called “posterior vitreous detachment.” This is not a health hazard.

In about 16% of cases, the detachment process creates tiny tears in the retina, which can lead to retinal detachment. This is already a dangerous condition; if it is not treated, blindness is possible.

Other possible reasons why you are seeing strange flashes are an eye injury or a migraine.

Treatment used

Before starting treatment, the patient undergoes a complete ophthalmological examination, including the fundus with a dilated pupil. For this purpose, traditional and the latest diagnostic research methods are used (including OCTA - optical coherence tomography in angiography mode).

If necessary, the patient receives consultation with a neurologist, endocrinologist, and other specialized specialists.

Fig. 2 If lightning appears in your eyes, you should consult an ophthalmologist. If necessary, he will refer you to other specialists.

Very often, the symptom of a “flash of light in the eyes” is a one-time occurrence; once it occurs, it does not recur and is not treated.

In the case of posterior vitreous detachment, flashes in the eyes occur periodically, they practically do not bother the person and do not require special treatment.

For inflammatory processes (retinitis and chorioretinitis) that cause flashes before the eyes, doctors at our clinic prescribe pathogenetic, specific and nonspecific hyposensitizing therapy, use physical (laser coagulation) and physiotherapeutic methods of influence.

In case of retinal dystrophies and ruptures, our laser surgeons perform its strengthening - a restrictive laser coagulation procedure (a painless procedure that can be done on the day of treatment).

Fig. 3 Rupture and detachment of the retina - situations requiring urgent surgical treatment

For retinal detachments, vitreoretinal surgeons at our clinic use the most modern surgical methods:

• laser coagulation;
• cryotherapy;
• scleral filling;
• pneumoretinopexy;
• vitrectomy.

Thanks to the clinic’s equipment with innovative diagnostic and surgical equipment, the necessary medical care can be provided immediately and urgently. The professional experience of the center's microsurgeons guarantees patients minimizing the risk of possible intra- and postoperative complications and rapid recovery even in the most serious cases.

When to see a doctor about floaters

If you experience any of the following symptoms, contact your eye doctor immediately for emergency eye care.

Symptoms that should not be ignored:

• The sudden appearance of floaters accompanied by flashes (which can be of any shape or size).
• An increase in floating particles, accompanied by a darkening of one side of the visual field.
• Shadows in peripheral vision
• Do you see glare all the time?

In many cases, the appearance of floaters before the eyes is not a cause for concern; however, the above symptoms may indicate a retinal detachment, and if left untreated, it can cause permanent vision loss or even blindness.

If you experience the above symptoms, you should see a doctor within 24 hours. You will have to endure the discomfort of having your pupils dilated during an eye exam so that the ophthalmologist can get a good look at the peripheral retina and diagnose or rule out a retinal tear or other serious condition. It is worth finding out whether there is a threat to vision. If it's just an uncomplicated posterior vitreous detachment, which is quite common, or an ocular migraine, then you can breathe a sigh of relief.

Types of retinal detachment

If this deviation developed against the background of other eye diseases or was caused by high blood pressure, a disease such as diabetes mellitus or kidney disease, then we should talk about secondary detachment. The cause of primary detachment, most often, can be degenerative processes in the retina itself. Heredity or developmental defects at the embryonic stage in the womb can play a significant role in its development. The most unfavorable variant of this deviation is a retinal tear. The third type of variety can be traumatic detachment, which develops with a penetrating or blunt wound, as well as burns with chemical liquids.

Symptom Description: White and bright flashes in the eyes or phosphenes

Phosphenes are nerve impulses reproduced by the retina that arise from mechanical or electrical stimulation of any part of the visual analyzer. Their appearance causes a certain discomfort, as it makes it difficult to see the world around us normally.

For people involved in driving or other activities that require concentration, if flickering lights appear before their eyes, immediate consultation with a specialist is advisable, since such a phenomenon often leads to accidents on the road and at work.

As a rule, a person sees bright or white flashes, as if someone had shined a flashlight into their eyes. Such a glow can appear both in the center of vision and from the side. The light beam severely dulls vision for several minutes, causing headaches.

The manifestation of photopsia occurs without a certain periodicity, and can be observed at any time of the day.

All symptoms and treatment methods for viral conjunctivitis are described in the article.

The appearance of flashes in front of drivers' eyes can lead to an accident

Flashes in the eyes may be accompanied by:

• headache;
• dizziness;
• increased intracranial pressure;
• spasm of the larynx;
• autonomic dysfunctions;
• partial decrease in visual function.

Read about the dangers of temporal arteritis here.

Flashes of light before the eyes can have different shapes (geometric, arbitrary) and colors. It depends on the root cause of such a symptom. In any case, the problem cannot be ignored, because... it may indicate serious visual impairment.

Hard work is a major risk factor

We save a little on standard antimicrobial treatment - Vitabact eye drops analogues.

Prevention

The full causes of the outbreaks are unknown. But in order to avoid such a problem, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:

• Stop smoking, alcohol, and taking psychotropic substances.
• Try to spend more time outdoors. This tones the entire body as a whole. Walking outside improves your general condition and improves your mood.
• Alternate work and rest. When doing work that requires concentration, do eye exercises. Look left and right, up and down, turn your eyes clockwise and counterclockwise.
• It is recommended not to sit for a long time at the computer or TV. With such activities there is a heavy load. If it is impossible to reduce the work on the equipment, then perform the exercises periodically.
• Take a course of eye vitamins.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables.
• Include carrots, pumpkin, parsley, fish, cherries, and blueberries in your diet. Such products contain vitamins that help improve vision.
• Do not read in poorly lit rooms. It can cause not only flashes, but also severe vision impairment.
• Frequent bending leads to increased eye pressure. Therefore, it is better to limit this.
• Maintain a daily routine. Sleep 7-8 hours.
• Try not to be too nervous and avoid stress.

Following the tips above will help you avoid problems of any kind. Your eyes and your entire body will feel much better.

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Why do flies fly before my eyes?

Details Author: LDC Neuron Published: November 10, 2015

Everyone has probably encountered such a phenomenon as dark or bright flashing spots before their eyes? Which occur during rapid movements, after a sleepless night, overexertion, overwork, after a hard day, and sometimes simply for no reason.

But there is always a reason and it needs to be established in order to remove serious pathologies with blood vessels or eyes. More often this problem is encountered in adulthood. Sometimes even vision may not decrease, but the spots become more and more numerous.

Why do flies fly before my eyes? Let's try to figure it out today.

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis comprises a whole group of eye diseases characterized by inflammation of the outer mucous membrane of the eye (i.e., conjunctiva) and the inner surface of the eyelids.

As with any disease, conjunctivitis has acute and chronic forms .

In the acute form of the disease, inflammation (with pain, burning and mucopurulent discharge) appears first in one eye, and a week later in the second. The average duration of the disease is 4 weeks.

In the chronic form of conjunctivitis, the inflammatory process lasts quite a long time, more than a month.

Symptoms of conjunctivitis

Naturally, the signs of the disease depend on the cause that caused this pathology. However, we can name the general symptoms of conjunctivitis:

• swelling and redness of the mucous membrane of the eye (red eye color is a typical sign of this disease);
• purulent or mucous discharge from the eyes;
• burning and itching in the eyes;
• poor tolerance to bright light;
• sensation of a foreign body or sand in the eye.

Types of conjunctivitis

There are the following types of conjunctivitis: viral , bacterial , allergic .

Viral conjunctivitis (in most cases - adenoviral conjunctivitis) often occurs with colds. The impetus for its appearance can be catarrhal rhinitis, accompanied by a sore throat and elevated body temperature. The disease begins in one eye and then moves to the other. Symptoms of this disease: severe lacrimation, itching, discharge of non-purulent mucus.

Bacterial conjunctivitis can be recognized by the following characteristic symptoms:

• viscous and cloudy discharge from the eye, usually gray or yellow, causing the eyelids to stick together after sleep;
• dryness of the conjunctiva and skin around the affected eye;
• inflammation of only one eye (but then the second eye may also become inflamed);
• pain and sensation of a foreign object.

With allergic conjunctivitis, both eyes become inflamed at once. The disease may appear as a result of allergies to flowering plants, food, inappropriate cosmetics, or as a reaction to certain medications.

In addition to such “classic” symptoms of conjunctivitis as redness of the eye, itching and lacrimation, with this type of disease there is a slight swelling of the conjunctiva and eyelids.

1 Diagnosis and treatment of conjunctivitis

2 Diagnosis and treatment of conjunctivitis

3 Treatment of conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis that occurs when exposed to chemicals or toxic substances . With this type of disease there is no itching or discharge from the eyes, but there is pain and irritation in the eye.

Viral and bacterial conjunctivitis are contagious and can be transmitted through airborne droplets or dirty hands!

Causes of conjunctivitis:

• allergic reactions to fluff, pet hair, dust and flowering plants, as well as household chemicals;
• thermal, chemical burns and other eye injuries;
• viral infections: herpes, influenza, measles, rubella, adenovirus, molluscum contagiosum;
• autoimmune diseases: Reiter's syndrome, psoriasis, gout, sarcoidosis;
• bacterial infections caused by chlamydia, pneumococci, gonococci, diphtheria bacillus, etc.;
• fungal infections of the eyes: coccidiosis, candidiasis, actinomycosis, etc.

Predisposing factors for the development of the disease are:

• hypothermia of the body;
• incorrect wearing of contact lenses;
• failure to comply with personal hygiene rules;
• avitaminosis;
• work associated with prolonged tension of the visual apparatus;
• frequent chronic diseases;
• farsightedness, nearsightedness and astigmatism;
• prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays.

Diagnosis of conjunctivitis

The disease is detected during an examination by an ophthalmologist; to clarify its cause, the following methods can be used:

• general blood analysis;
• microscopy of eye discharge - detects the causative agent of conjunctivitis;
• bacteriological culture - helps to determine the sensitivity of the pathogen to various drugs;
• biomicroscopy (examination of the affected eye under a microscope) shows all changes in the conjunctiva and cornea.

Treatment of conjunctivitis

Treatment of conjunctivitis is carried out according to a special scheme, which depends on the type of pathology. As a rule, eye drops are prescribed to relieve itching, swelling, and inflammation.

For allergic conjunctivitis, antihistamines are selected, as well as eye drops and ointments that block the development of infection.

For bacterial or viral diseases, interferon and drops (ointments) including antibiotics are prescribed.

Therapy of the disease is based not only on eliminating the infection, but also restoring the human immune system.

When treating conjunctivitis, it is not recommended to take medications not prescribed by a doctor! If purulent (gonococcal) conjunctivitis is not treated correctly, it can lead to serious damage to the cornea and even complete blindness!

Only an ophthalmologist, after identifying the cause of the disease, can recommend adequate treatment.

Preventive actions

You should not immediately rush to the doctor as soon as single, rare sparkles flash in your eyes. If the symptom no longer recurs, it means that the disorder is most likely caused by fatigue and overstrain of the visual system. If you have constant disturbing light discomfort, it is better to visit a doctor and find out the causes of this condition. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to properly treat infectious and inflammatory ophthalmological diseases, get checked by an ophthalmologist 2 times a year, get rid of bad habits, normalize the load on your eyes, and take vitamins.

Other symptoms

A person should definitely visit a doctor if a symptom occurs along with a headache that cannot be relieved with medications. If a person’s eyes flashed only once, but after reducing the load and normalizing the daily routine, the signs disappeared, there is nothing to worry about. Regularly recurring flashes before the eyes mean that something is wrong with the body. It is important to consult an ophthalmologist as soon as possible if sparkling eyes are accompanied by the following symptoms:

• a white veil in the field of vision, preventing normal vision;
• frequent headaches that do not go away after taking painkillers;
• dizziness, nausea;
• disorientation in space;
• deterioration in general health;
• sudden jumps in blood pressure;
• photophobia;
• increased tearfulness or, conversely, dry mucous membranes;
• the formation of an extensive capillary network on proteins.

It is necessary to urgently call an ambulance if the child’s pupils are dilated and does not respond to external stimuli. This condition may be the result of severe intoxication, trauma, or concussion.

What can put out the fire

If you are afraid of other people's opinions, then any comment addressed to you can ruin your mood and extinguish your spiritual sparks. Therefore, you should either protect yourself from negative people or try not to pay attention to their criticism.

Keep your fire burning by doing only what you enjoy. Help animals and people, look for your dream job, learn languages ​​and read books, meet new people and gain experience. The world is beautiful, it has everything for every living creature to live happily and carefree.

This is often taught by Eastern practitioners. For example, mantras, which resemble affirmations, are designed to ignite a fire in your soul. To do this, you need to find a convenient place and time, protect yourself from worldly worries, sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Meditate when you feel most comfortable, saying to yourself the phrase that you are happy, not afraid of difficulties, and do not belong to anyone. You can also recite special sutras, such as “Sat Chit Ananda,” which means that your internal dialogue with yourself is filled with energy and contains an inviolable flame.

You can also put out the fire yourself if you allow yourself to be distracted by unnecessary worries. By wasting your time and energy on meaningless pastimes, you will feel that your eyes are becoming dull. Don’t waste your time watching TV and protect yourself from excessive internet use, play sports and always get involved in something new.

As soon as you can light a mental fire within yourself, you will see how your world changes, and all problems and worries will fade into the background. Always be open, because perhaps a person will appear on your way who will give you that very cherished spark.