Retinal Disease
Retinal Disease – Floaters and Flashes
The retina is the inner most layer of the eye and is the imaging centre.
Located at the back where the optic nerve is, the retina is responsible for turning light into nerve signals from the back wall of the eye to the area of the brain responsible for sight.
Conditions that can affect your retina (e.g. ageing, chronic diseases like diabetes and trauma to the eye) may lead to vision loss.
THONEH’s Consultant Ophthalmologists are well experienced in treating various retinal conditions to prevent vision loss. They are experts in their field using the latest technologies and best practices for diagnosis and management of these conditions.
Floaters and Flashes
Floaters :
- Some people may experience small specks or clouds moving in their field of vision.
- While these objects look like they are in front of the eyes, they are actually floating inside casting shadow on the retina.
- Called floaters, they come in different shapes and sizes, such as little dots, circles, lines, clouds, or cobwebs.
- They are often symptoms of retinal diseases.
- Floaters are actually tiny clumps of gel or cells inside the vitreous, the clear jelly-like fluid that fills the inside of your eye.
- In 80% of the cases they form naturally as the vitreous begins to shrink.
What Cause ?
- In 20% of cases they can also be caused by:
- Tears in the retina
- Bleeding inside the eye
- Inflammation
- Infection
How Floaters Treated ?
- Floaters are usually harmless, and in the 90% of cases, can be left alone.
- Troublesome floaters can be removed through Vitreolysis, a non-invasive and pain free procedure that eliminates the strands and improves vision.
- In 10% of cases, floaters may indicate vitreoretinal diseases such as retinal tear or retinal hole, bleeding inside the eye, inflammation, and infection.
Flashes :
- When the vitreous gel inside your eye rubs or pulls on the retina, you may see what looks like flashing lights or lightening streaks.
- If you have been hit in the eye, you may also experience flashes, seeing “stars”.
- In some cases, these flashes can appear on and off for a long period of time, and is more common as we grow older.
- Like floaters, flashes can be caused by posterior vitreous detachment, when the vitreous gel pulls away from the back of the eye.
What Cause ?
- In 20% of cases they can also be caused by:
- Tears in the retina
- Bleeding inside the eye
- Inflammation
- Infection
How Floaters Treated ?
- Floaters are usually harmless, and in the 90% of cases, can be left alone.
- Troublesome floaters can be removed through Vitreolysis, a non-invasive and pain free procedure that eliminates the strands and improves vision.
- In 10% of cases, floaters may indicate vitreoretinal diseases such as retinal tear or retinal hole, bleeding inside the eye, inflammation, and infection.
