Floaters and flashes (black dots)

Causes of floaters and flashes

Floaters and flashes are often harmless, but sometimes can indicate a more serious condition, such as a torn detached retina and therefore need to be examined by an optometrist.

Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD)

This is the most common cause of floaters and flashes. It happens naturally as we get older – the gel inside the eye (vitreous humour) starts to shrink and pull away from the retina. You might notice floaters that look like threads, dots, or cobwebs drifting across your vision, sometimes with flashes at the edges. It usually settles over time and doesn’t need treatment.

Learn more about posterior vitreous detachment

Retinal tear or detachment

In some cases, the shrinking vitreous gel can tug too hard on the retina and cause a tear – which can lead to detachment if left untreated. Watch out for: a sudden shower of floaters, flashes of light, or a shadow in your peripheral vision or a grey curtain in part of your vision. This is an eye emergency and needs treatment urgently to prevent permanent vision loss. Retinal tears can often be sealed with laser treatment. If the retina has detached, surgery is needed.

Learn more about detached retinas

Ocular migraine

Flashes or zig‑zag patterns in your vision – sometimes with blurry patches or temporary loss of sight – could be a sign of an ocular migraine. These often pass on their own but can feel unsettling if you’ve never had one before. If you experience this for the first time, or have not been diagnosed with migraines, get it checked by your optometrist.

Learn more about ocular migraines

Other causes

Floaters and flashes can also be linked to other eye conditions like diabetic retinopathy or inflammation in the eye. These are less common, but they may need treatment with eye drops, injections, laser or surgery, depending on what’s causing them.

Learn more about diabetic retinopathy

How to treat floaters and flashes

In most cases, floaters are harmless and don’t need treatment. They’re often caused by age‑related changes in the eye and tend to become less noticeable over time.

But if you’ve started seeing more floaters than usual, or if they’re affecting your vision, it’s a good idea to book an eye test. Your optometrist can check your eyes and keep track of any changes. If there’s been a noticeable increase since your last appointment, they might refer you to an ophthalmologist for a closer look.

When to seek help

Floaters and flashes can sometimes be a sign of a more serious issue, like a retinal tear or detachment. If they come on suddenly – especially if you also notice flashing lights, blurred vision, or a dark shadow in your sight – get urgent medical help. These symptoms need to be checked on the same day.

Treatments for flashes and floaters

Floaters are usually nothing to worry about and often settle on their own without treatment. In some cases, laser treatment (called vitreolysis) can be used to break them up and make them less visible, though it’s not suitable for everyone. For more severe cases, surgery (a vitrectomy) might be considered. This involves removing the gel inside the eye and replacing it with a clear solution.

If there’s damage to the retina, laser therapy or other types of surgery may be needed. If you notice any sudden changes or your vision is affected, don’t ignore it. Get your eyes checked as soon as you can. Regular eye tests are the best way to keep on top of things.

Will my treatment be covered by Medicare?

Concerned about costs? You might be entitled to support through Medicare.

Check your eligibility before your appointment.

If you require further treatment, private health insurance may help with costs depending on your plan.

Who's at risk of floaters and flashes?

It’s common to start seeing floaters in vision as you get older and your eyes age. However, some health conditions and everyday factors can lead to more floaters developing, or make them feel more distracting than usual. These include:

Short‑sightedness

Short‑sightedness, also known as myopia, is a common vision condition in which far away objects are difficult to see, but close‑up objects appear clearly. Being short‑sighted means that the eyeball is longer than typical and the retina is stretched over a larger distance, making it more at risk of conditions like retinal detachment.

Learn more about myopia

Diabetes

Diabetes can affect your eyesight through a condition called diabetic retinopathy. This happens when the small blood vessels in your eyes get blocked, cutting off blood supply to the retina. If left untreated, it can damage the retina and cause long‑term vision issues.

Find out more about diabetic retinopathy

Recent cataract surgery

Cataract surgery replaces the natural lens in your eye if you're experiencing cloudy vision, which can stir things up a bit, causing some inflammation or changes in the vitreous humour. This might make floaters seem more noticeable at first. In most cases, they’ll disappear over time as your eye recovers.

Learn more about cataracts

Eye inflammation (uveitis)

Uveitis can cause tiny bits of debris to leak into the vitreous humour. These bits can show up as floaters in your vision, causing irritation and eye pain.