Sep 11 • General discussion
⚡ When Flashes and Floaters Mean Something More
By Dr Sachin Bawa
This week's case is a good reminder that sometimes those seemingly common symptoms of flashes and floaters can be a warning sign of something more serious.
Our patient presented with a recent history of flashes and floaters.
She was found to be myopic, with the following visual findings:
Unaided Visual Acuity R)0.3 L) 0.6
Refraction R) -2.00/-0.75x48 L) -2.00/-0.00
Given her symptoms, a careful retinal examination was performed.
The Findings:
Examination of the retina revealed a horseshoe retinal tear. A horseshoe tear occurs when the vitreous pulls on the retina strongly enough to create a tear. The danger is that fluid can then pass through the tear and underneath the retina, potentially resulting in a retinal detachment.
Treating the Tear Before It Becomes a Detachment:
Fortunately, the tear was identified before a retinal detachment had developed. The patient underwent prophylactic retinal laser treatment around the retinal tear. The aim of the laser is to create a strong adhesion between the retina and the underlying tissue, effectively creating a barrier around the tear and reducing the risk of fluid tracking underneath the retina.
A Quick but Important Procedure
Retinal laser treatment is usually:
⚡ Quick — often taking less than 10 minutes
🙂 Generally painless
👁️ Performed as an outpatient procedure
🛡️ Highly effective at reducing the risk of retinal detachment from an appropriately treated retinal tear
The Take-Home Message
Flashes and floaters are common, particularly as we get older and the vitreous naturally changes. However, a sudden onset of flashes and floaters should always prompt a thorough retinal examination.
In patients who are myopic, the importance of carefully examining the peripheral retina is even greater.
In this case, identifying the retinal tear early meant that it could be treated with a relatively simple laser procedure — before it progressed to a potentially sight-threatening retinal detachment.
👁️ Before and After
Swipe through the images to see:
➡️ The horseshoe retinal tear before treatment
➡️ The retinal laser applied around the tear afterwards
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⚡ When Flashes and Floaters Mean Something More
