Black Flashes.

[Shadow Man]

I have, to my knowledge, good eyesight. I wear glasses if I can be bothered for night driving only, though this is not a legal requirement and the glasses are self prescribed.

Now, I don't know if my question is related to a failing eyesight or not but over the last month or so I am having very spontanious black flashes in my peripheral vision. It is as if I espy a spider running across the floor only to find nothing there. Like a black willo-the-wisp.

What is going on?

[crossroads]

Floaters, like what my friend had at one stage.
Go and see an eye specialist.

[Shadow Man]

And what did the opticians do? Laser???

[raysparx1]

Hello wardy, sounds like floaters, go get your eyes checked, just to make sure, opticians can detect all sorts of things by looking into your eyes, so get down there now, you hear me., check this out

http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/spots floats.htm

[Pippa68]

As crossroads has said it sounds like floaters.

You need to see a proper eye doctor not an optician. I think floaters may be caused by a tear in the retina, although it isn't always the case. The floaters may go away in a few days even if it is a torn retina, so it needs to be checked out.

[crossroads]

Its not treatable.

[johnlambert]

There is no specific treatment for floaters - eye drops and other medication do not make floaters go away. The brain learns to ignore most floaters and after a while you may not notice them. If a floater appears directly in your line of vision, try moving your eye up and down. This causes the vitreous humour to swirls about and helps to shift the floater elsewhere.
If floaters don't improve over time or significantly affect your vision, an operation to replace the vitreous humour with saline (salt) solution may be considered. This procedure is called vitrectomy.
A vitrectomy removes the vitreous humour, along with its floating debris, from the eye. This is carried out after your eye has been number with a local anaesthetic. The vitreous is replaced with a salt solution - as the vitreous humour is mostly water anyway, you won't notice any difference.
Vitrectomy is only carried out in rare cases, because there are risks associated with eye surgery, and floaters generally become less of a problem over time. Possible complications of this type of surgery include retinal detachment, retinal tears, and cataracts. Most eye surgeons only recommend it if floaters seriously interfere with vision.

[RATTER15]

Ive seen a few floaters in my time but never managed to get one in my eye!!

[Shadow Man]

Thank you everybody. I have never heard of "Floaters", yet they seem fairly common.

I don't think it is anything to worry about looking at the links and reading the replies.

Interesting.

[Pippa68]

Sorry I didn't mean to demean Opticians at all..I meant you can go to the Opticians as long as it's an Opthalmic Optician.

[Shadow Man]

Picky Dicky Dodar man.

As you may be aware the legal eye test for drivers in in daylight. A stupid law that should be changed with immediate effect.

The self prescribed glasses are more of an anti-glare as opposed to an improvement in vision. I can still pass the DAYLIGHT test at night which is reading a registartion at 20 yards or so (maybe 22.5 yards, I forget).

They are approved by the AA, but I thank you for your point. Of course when the day comes I need "proper" glasses, rest assured I will go to Specsavers or somewhere.

[LoftyLottie]

Go straight away to your GP.

This is important in case you have a retinal tear, but it is more than likely, as John Lambert says, vitreous fluid.

However, most GPs will refer you to an emergency appointment with a hospital eye clinic to be on the safe side. All new floaters/flashes should be investigated. I got a hospital appointment the following day after seeing my GP.

I speak from recent experience and I am OK.

Unfortunately, Shadow Man, it is usually age related!!! It does not affect your site, but you do have to get used to it. The brain does learn to ignore it in time.

See here

http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/do cuments/PublicWebsite/public_rnib003660.hcsp

ps I am not over 65!!!!

[LoftyLottie]

'sight' not 'site'!

[Shadow Man]

Thank you lofty. Glad you are OK now. I shall seek professional help. I used to box quite a lot for fun. Could a detached retina be present for a few years before the floaters?

[johnlambert]

Retinal detachment can occur at any age, but it is more common in midlife and later. Conditions that can increase the chance of a retinal detachment include nearsightedness; previous cataract surgery; glaucoma; severe trauma; previous retinal detachment in your other eye; family history of retinal detachment; or weak areas in your retina that can be seen by your ophthalmologist.
Boxing would cause almost instant "floaters" and in any case, floaters caused by any martial arts are normally due to a blow to the back of the heid, like a "rabbit punch"

[Shadow Man]

Well I haven;t sparred for about three years, nor received any injury or condition mentioned I am aware of.

I will check it out.

[LoftyLottie]

If it's any consolation, the doctor at the eye clinic said they saw loads of cases of vitreous detachment but very few torn retinas. Torn retinas would affect your vision and produce, shadows, blurring etc. Apparently people who have vitreous detachment have a higher chance of developing a torn retina than others, but still it is relatively rare. I have been told I can go straight back to the eye casuality department without referral if I develop problems or get any new flashes/floaters, but the chances are high it will still be vitreeous detachment.

It's good to know that the medical profession are so 'on the ball' here.

Now I know what it is I hardly notice the floaters any more!

Glad you are getting it checked out though, Shadow.

[LoftyLottie]

Have you looked in the mirror to check whether you have one brown eye and one blue lately?? ;o)

[johnlambert]

Sparring shouldn't cause the retina to detach, unles it was very vigerous sparring, unless you are involved in a proper, full contact bout punches should always be pulled. Get it checked out!!