Floaters and flashes

• Floaters are small spots or wavy lines that drift across your vision
• Floaters are common and normally harmless
• Flashes are caused by the jelly in your eye pulling on the retina
• A sudden increase in floaters and/or seeing flashes of light can indicate retinal detachment
• Retinal detachment is serious and should be treated as a matter of extreme urgency

More in-depth information written in plain English can be found on the College of Optometrists’ website:

Floaters http://lookafteryoureyes.org/eye-conditions/floaters-and-flashes

Flashes http://lookafteryoureyes.org/eye-conditions/floaters-and-flashes/flashes

Retinal Detachment http://lookafteryoureyes.org/eye-conditions/retinal-detachment

Additional information is provided by the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB):

Retinal Detachment http://www.rnib.org.uk/eye-health-eye-conditions-z-eye-conditions/retinal-detachment