Skip to main contentSkip to main content

Floaters and flashes in the eyes


Open all pages about Floaters and flashes in the eyes

Floaters are small shapes in your vision, such as dots and lines. Flashes are when you see sudden, unexplained flashes of light.

An eye specialist can check if your floaters or flashes could be caused by anything serious and refer you to an eye doctor for treatment if needed.

Floaters and flashes can happen for no reason or just appear as you get older. Sometimes they’re due to a serious condition called retinal detachment.

Floaters or flashes in your vision are common. They're not usually serious but sometimes need to be checked by an eye specialist just in case.

Page last reviewed: 16/07/2020
Next review due: 16/07/2023