The key difference between floaters and flashes is that floaters are small dark shapes such as spots, threads, squiggly lines, or little cobwebs that float across the field of vision, while flashes are flashing lights or lightning streaks in the field of vision.
Floaters and flashes are usually caused by a harmless process known as posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). In this process, a gel called vitreous inside the eye changes. They can also be caused by retinal detachment. If people are suffering from floaters and flashes, the eyes should be checked by a qualified ophthalmologist.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What are Floaters
3. What are Flashes
4. Similarities – Floaters and Flashes
5. Floaters vs. Flashes in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Floaters vs. Flashes
What are Floaters?
Floaters are small specks, dots, circles, lines, or cobwebs in the field of vision. Floaters normally come and go. However, sometimes, floaters can be a sign of a serious medical condition. If floaters appear suddenly and do not go away, the eyes should be checked by an ophthalmologist. The symptoms of floaters may include floaters that move as the eyes move (when people try to look at floaters directly, they seem to move away), eyes stop moving, floaters keep drifting across the vision, and seeing more floaters when looking at something bright such as white paper or a blue sky.
Some people are at higher risk of getting floaters, such as people who are very nearsighted, people who have diabetes, and people who have had surgery to treat cataracts. Moreover, floaters normally occur due to aging, when vitreous stick together and cast shadows on the retina. But sometimes, they can be caused by eye infections, eye injuries, uveitis, bleeding in the eyes, vitreous detachment, retinal tears, and retinal detachment. Floaters can be diagnosed through a dilated eye examination. Furthermore, treatment for floaters may include a surgery called a vitrectomy to remove floaters and manage underlying conditions.
What are Flashes?
Flashes may look like flashing lights or lightning streaks in the field of vision. The commonly seen flashers are caused by the posterior vitreous detachment, retinal detachment or retinal tear, diabetes-related blood in the eye from diabetic retinopathy, migraine, transient ischemic attack, seizure, damaged optic nerves, and medications such as digoxin and aralen (chloroquine) and Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine). The symptoms of flashes may include streaks of lightning, flickering lights and stars across the vision. Moreover, certain risk factors are more likely to develop flashes, such as being nearsighted (myopia), undergoing cataract surgery, and eye inflammation like uveitis.
Flashes are treated through clinical eye examinations and ultrasound. Furthermore, flashes can be treated through surgery to reattach the retina, cryotherapy and lasers, eye surgery, or eye injections to prevent diabetic neuropathy-triggered scarring.
What are the Similarities Between Floaters and Flashes?
- Floaters and flashes are primarily observed in older individuals, affecting their vision.
- Floaters and flashes are caused by a harmless process known as posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) and retinal detachment.
- Normally, they go away without treatment.
- Both floaters and flashes can be diagnosed through clinical eye examinations.
- Moreover, they can be treated through respective eye surgeries.
What is the Difference Between Floaters and Flashes?
Floaters are small dark shapes such as spots, threads, squiggly lines, or little cobwebs that float across the vision, while flashes are flashing lights or lightning streaks in the field of vision. Thus, this is the key difference between floaters and flashes. Furthermore, floaters can be caused by posterior vitreous detachment, eye infections, eye injuries, uveitis, bleeding in the eyes, vitreous detachment, retinal tear, and retinal detachment. On the other hand, flashes can be caused by posterior vitreous detachment, retinal detachment or retinal tear, diabetes-related blood in the eye from diabetic retinopathy, migraine, transient ischemic attack, seizure, damaged optic nerve and medications such as digoxin and aralen (chloroquine) and Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine).
The infographic below presents the differences between floaters and flashes in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Floaters vs Flashes
Floaters and flashes are seen in the field of vision, most commonly in older people. They are due to aging and are mainly caused by a harmless process known as posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) and retinal detachment. Floaters are small specks, dots, circles, lines, or cobwebs in the field of vision, while flashes are flashing lights or lightning streaks in the field of vision. Most floaters and flashes are not a problem as they go away on their own. However, sometimes they can be signs of a serious condition. Hence, people should have their eyes checked if they observe an increase in new floaters or flashes, notice a shadow in their peripheral vision, or experience the appearance of a gray curtain partially obstructing their vision. So, this summarizes the difference between floaters and flashes.
Reference:
1. “Floaters and Flashes.” Look After Your Eyes.
2. “Floaters and Flashes in the Eye.” NHS Choices.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Green Eye Flash” (Public Domain) via Public Domain Pictures