Black flashes in eyes
Question: I get flashes of black or clear spots or shapes in my eyes. My vision is still perfect. Any suggestions?
I have several suggestions as to the cause, but they will all end the same way— you must see a doctor!
The most likely cause is that you have a floater in your eye. This is a clump of cells floating in the fluid inside the eye. They can be quite annoying, and can be destroyed by laser treatment. The problem is what has caused the floater? The cells may have broken away for no serious reason, but it is possible that they are the first sign of significant eye problems. For this reason floaters must always be checked by an ophthalmologist (eye specialist).
Spots in your vision may also be due to migraines (and these are not always accompanied by a headache), a damaged retina (the light-sensitive layer of cells at the back of the eyeball), a cataract (cloudiness or damage to the lens in the eye), a deteriorating blood supply to the eye (for example after a stroke) or due to a tumor in or around the eye or the brain.
It is because there are so many possible nasty causes that it is essential to have an accurate diagnosis.
Question: Can glare damage your eyes?
Yes. Glare will cause chronic inflammation to the narrow segment of the white of the eyes that is exposed to the reflected sun’s rays when squinting. Over a period of several years this can lead to the build-up of scar and fat tissue in this area. This is known as a pinguecula. They cause no harm to the eye, but are unsightly and may become inflamed and itchy. Cataracts may also be aggravated by glare, including the glare reflected from water onto the eyes.
The problem is prevented by wearing high-quality sun glasses.
Tags: eye problems, eye tumor, poor eyesight, sun glasses