Sometimes floaters and flashes signal a condition that can lead to vision loss where a new onset of floaters may herald retinal disease. The shrinking vitreous can tug on the retina and pull away from it. This event, called a posterior vitreous detachment, is common, and usually doesn’t threaten vision. In a few people, a posterior vitreous detachment causes the retina to tear. Fluid from inside the eye can then seep through the tear and separate the retina from the tissues that nourish it. This separation, called retinal detachment, can lead to permanent vision loss unless treated promptly.
Retinal tears and detachments are painless. Key warning signs include:
If you experience any of these warning signs, call your doctor right away. You will need to see an ophthalmologist for an eye exam as soon as possible. If a tear is detected early, prompt treatment can prevent the retina from detaching.
Retinal tears can be treated several ways. Your doctor may recommend laser photocoagulation which is usually done in the out-patient clinic. Pinpoints of laser light are used to fuse the retina to the back wall of the eye. This creates a barrier of scar tissue around the retinal tear that stops it from getting bigger. Extreme cold, a procedure called cryopexy, does much the same thing. If you have a retinal detachment, your doctor will explain how urgently you will require retinal surgery and the procedure required.