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March is National Save Your Vision Month, and in our five-part blog series, we’re taking a look at common causes of vision loss in adulthood, eye exams, general eye health, and signs telling you to have your eyes checked.
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In our last blog post, we looked at the complete eye exam and the recommended eye exam schedule for adults. That schedule exists for people with health eyes and good vision that may worsen slowly over time. If your vision or that of a loved one changes suddenly or frequently or you experience certain symptoms, waiting for your regular eye exam is not advisable. You should contact your eye doctor immediately, as they may signal an eye problem and should be followed with a visit to the eye doctor as soon as possible.
In this blog post, we’ll look at the six (6) reasons (possible signs of a more serious eye condition) to contact your eye doctor as soon as possible, including:
- Floaters or flashes
- A curtain or veil crossing your vision
- Eye pain
- Sudden or frequent changes in your vision
- Straight lines appearing wavy
- Dry or itchy eyes
1. Floaters and Flashes
Sometimes we might see small specks or clouds floating in or across our vision, especially when looking at a plain background. These specks, called floaters, are tiny clumps of hyaluronan-2 acid in the vitreous gel, the clear fluid that fills our eyes. These are actually clumps floating inside our eyes that cause shadows on the retina, the light sensitive part of the back of the eye. Floaters may appear as dots, circles, lines, clouds, cobwebs, or a variety of different shapes.
Floaters can occur at any age, but are more common as we reach middle age. As we age, the vitreous gel starts to thicken or shrink and forms clumps within the eye. As the vitreous shrinks and pulls away from the back of the eye, it can cause a posterior vitreous detachment, a common cause of floaters. As the vitreous continues to shrink and pull away from the back of the eye, it can create a retinal tear, which may cause a small amount of bleeding and more floaters.
Because a retinal tear can lead to a vision-threatening retinal detachment, you must contact your eye doctor immediately if you notice new or more / increasing floaters, even if you’ve experience them for years. A comprehensive eye exam can determine if the new floaters are caused by a retinal tear or detachment, and prompt treatment of a retinal tear or detachment can preserve your vision.
Flashes occur when the vitreous gel pulls on the retina, causing the appearance of flashing lights or lightening streaks in your vision. Since flashes can also be a symptom of a retinal tear or detachment, you should contact your eye doctor immediately if you are experiencing new or more / increasing flashes. Early detection and treatment can prevent vision loss.
If you have floaters and / or flashes, a dilated eye exam as part of a complete eye examination can determine if the cause is a retinal tear or detachment. If not linked to a more serious condition, floaters and flashes are left untreated. However, as these symptoms can signify an optical emergency, contact your eye doctor immediately and have your eyes examined promptly. If a retinal tear or detachment is present, it can be treated within 24 hours to save your vision.
Floaters can occur at any age, but are more common as we reach middle age. As we age, the vitreous gel starts to thicken or shrink and forms clumps within the eye. As the vitreous shrinks and pulls away from the back of the eye, it can cause a posterior vitreous detachment, a common cause of floaters. As the vitreous continues to shrink and pull away from the back of the eye, it can create a retinal tear, which may cause a small amount of bleeding and more floaters.
Because a retinal tear can lead to a vision-threatening retinal detachment, you must contact your eye doctor immediately if you notice new or more / increasing floaters, even if you’ve experience them for years. A comprehensive eye exam can determine if the new floaters are caused by a retinal tear or detachment, and prompt treatment of a retinal tear or detachment can preserve your vision.
Flashes occur when the vitreous gel pulls on the retina, causing the appearance of flashing lights or lightening streaks in your vision. Since flashes can also be a symptom of a retinal tear or detachment, you should contact your eye doctor immediately if you are experiencing new or more / increasing flashes. Early detection and treatment can prevent vision loss.
If you have floaters and / or flashes, a dilated eye exam as part of a complete eye examination can determine if the cause is a retinal tear or detachment. If not linked to a more serious condition, floaters and flashes are left untreated. However, as these symptoms can signify an optical emergency, contact your eye doctor immediately and have your eyes examined promptly. If a retinal tear or detachment is present, it can be treated within 24 hours to save your vision.
2. Curtain or Veil Crossing Vision
In certain eye conditions, the appearance of a curtain or veil appearing in or crossing vision can signify a vision threatening eye condition such as a retinal tear or detachment. The image shows one possible appearance of this curtain or veil. If you or a loved one experience what you think might be a curtain or veil in or crossing your vision, contact and notify your eye doctor immediately. It is imperative to see an eye doctor as soon as possible for evaluation.
3. Eye Pain
While we all have sore, tired, and painful eyes at times, typically those conditions improve and disappear. If you or a loved one experience severe eye pain or eye pain that does not resolve on its own, it can be a sign of a serious eye condition such as optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve that can be accompanied by a loss of vision) and should tell you to contact an eye doctor right away.
4. Changes in Vision
While vision can change and decrease or diminish over time, sudden or frequent changes in vision can be signs of a more serious eye condition. Anytime a sudden change in vision occurs or vision seems to be changing frequently, contact an eye doctor immediately.
5. Straight Lines Appearing Wavy
Straight lines appearing wavy, as in the image, can be signs of a serious eye condition such as macular degeneration. If you or a loved one begin to see or are seeing straight lines as wavy lines, call an eye doctor immediately.
6. Dry or Itchy Eyes
Dry or itchy eyes are common allergic eye symptoms, but they can also signify more serious eye conditions such as dry eye syndrome, which can lead to inflammation of the eye. If you experience dry or itchy eyes that seem to be unrelated to seasonal or environmental allergies, contact your eye as soon as possible.
Who to Call If You or a Loved One Experience Any of These 6 Symptoms
If you or a loved one experience any of these six (6) symptoms, call us immediately at 508-746-8600. We will get you an appointment with one of our general ophthalmologists or optometrists listed below who can perform a complete eye exam and get your results to one of our ophthalmologists who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of your particular condition:
We offer complete eye examinations in all five of our offices on the South Shore and Cape Cod. If you experience any of these conditions outside of our regular office hours, please call our main number and leave a message with our answering service, who will contact the eye doctor on call.
We offer complete eye examinations in all five of our offices on the South Shore and Cape Cod. If you experience any of these conditions outside of our regular office hours, please call our main number and leave a message with our answering service, who will contact the eye doctor on call.
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