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Floaters and flashes in the eyes

Overview

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

Your eyes will be checked to see if the floaters or flashes could be caused by anything serious. You may be referred to an eye doctor for treatment.

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: 20/06/2023
Next review due: 20/06/2026