I've had a few floaters for years. You get to know them fairly quickly. But a couple of months ago I had a sudden increase in floaters - large, rust-coloured floaters acrodd my vision coupled with a jagged lightning flash every time my eyes flicked from one side to the other. I was driving when I realised it, and it was on dusk. I had to keep going but I knew it meant possible big trouble.
Even though the lightning flashes stopped after a few hours, I still needed to be assessed urgently.
Cause - as we age, and especially if we are short-sighted, the vitreous humour pulls away from the retina. When it does, it sometimes pulls a bit on the retina and can cause a small tear. Or some level of damage. This damage can progress rapidly if left untreated. If a problem is developing and you don't get treatment, you can lose your sight.
I was seen that night (eventually) and had to be seen next morning by an ophthalmic registrar. It was Sunday, in Canberra. She referred me to an eye specialist in Sydney (since we were only in Canberra for the weekend). Back in Sydney next morning, I rang my optometrist (first) to get the name of a good eye specialist from their point of view. Then I rang, to be told that it normally would be a several month wait. Then I mentioned the symptoms. I was seen that morning. The eye surgeon finally found a retinal bleed, but no detachment However, I had to see him again in a few days, and then in a few weeks.
Since then, a good friend (one who stepped up and drove me to the eye doctor that first afternoon, since I was advised to not drive myself home) has had the same problem. Thankfully hers was not a bleed, just an increase in floaters.
I have to see my eye specialist again in a few weeks, to make sure there has been no change.
Don't neglect this, get it checked out. A sudden increase in floaters is a problem. Floaters that have been there for years are almost certainly NOT a problem.
Marg
