Eye Health

What you can do about floaters and flashes in the eye


Former Executive Editor, Harvard Health

“Floaters” and flashes are a common sight for many people. Floater is a catchall term for the specks, threads, or cobweb-like images that occasionally drift across the line of vision. Flashes are sparks or strands of light that flicker across the visual field. Both are usually harmless. But they can be a warning sign of trouble in the eye, especially when they suddenly appear or become more plentiful. That can be the sign of a tear in the retina, the patch of light-sensitive cells along the back of the eye that captures images and sends them to the brain. A retinal tear can lead to a retinal detachment, which can lead to permanent vision loss.

Aspirin’s heart benefits trump possible small risk of macular degeneration

Many adult Americans take aspirin every day, often to prevent a heart attack. Headlines about a study published today linking aspirin use with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) may scare some aspirin users to stop, but that’s the wrong message. In the study, aspirin’s effect on vision was small—far smaller than the lifesaving benefit it offers people with heart. Macular degeneration occurs when something goes wrong with the macula, a small part of the eye’s light-sensing retina. The macula is responsible for sharp central vision. In the new study, published in JAMA, 1.4% of long-term daily aspirin users and 0.6% of non-users developed macular degeneration over a 20-year period. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that people age 65 and older have comprehensive exams at least every other year to check for macular degeneration and other eye problems.

Cataract removal linked to fewer hip fractures

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing

There are several good reasons to have cataracts fixed. Restoring clear, colorful vision certainly tops the list. A study published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) adds another benefit—a lower risk of breaking a hip. Researchers analyzed the effect of cataract surgery on the frequency of hip fracture in the following year. Among more than a million adults ages 65 and older who had cataracts, the frequency of hip fracture was 16% lower among those who had cataract surgery compared with those who didn’t have it, and the reduction in risk was even greater (23%) if the cataract was severe. Besides the immediate benefit of improved vision on everyday activities, and the longer-term one of preventing broken hips, cataract surgery may have other, less obvious benefits. These include more independence, better physical fitness, and better mental health.

Is there a connection between Flomax and cataracts?

Charlie Schmidt

Editor, Harvard Medical School Annual Report on Prostate Diseases

In short, yes. If you take Flomax (tamsulosin), be sure to tell your eye doctor before having cataract surgery.