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Some patients with flashes and floaters have a retinal tear or retinal detachment. Since these conditions are both urgent, you should have your eyes examined by an ophthalmologist as soon as these symptoms develop.

 

In many cases, flashes and floaters are symptoms of a normal aging process. The eye is filled with a jelly-like substance called the vitreous. There are millions of small fibers that attach the vitreous jelly to the retina. As we age, the vitreous can pull away from the retina in a process called posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). People experiencing PVD may see floaters as a result of the vitreous fibers being pulled away and becoming opaque in the vitreous cavity. People may also experience quick flashes of light, which occur when the vitreous tugs on the retina with tractional force.