Sudden floaters or new flashes in your eye deserve urgent attention, even when your vision otherwise seems normal. Arrange an urgent retinal assessment today rather than waiting for symptoms to settle. A dark curtain, spreading shadow or sudden loss of vision should be assessed without delay.
These symptoms do not necessarily mean your retina is damaged. A common cause is posterior vitreous detachment, but a full dilated retinal examination is needed to distinguish this from a retinal tear or retinal detachment.
At The Retina Clinic London, urgent assessment combines indirect ophthalmoscopy with a 360-degree examination of the peripheral retina and advanced retinal imaging, giving the specialist complementary views of the retina.
Urgent contact is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and same-day retinal assessment can be arranged where clinically necessary and appropriate. No referral is required.
Call +44 (0)20 4548 5310 for urgent advice and assessment.
When should you seek urgent help?
Contact us promptly for:
- First-time floaters or flashes
- A sudden increase in floaters or flashes
- New blurred or reduced vision
- A curtain, veil or shadow across your vision
- A new blind spot or area of missing vision
- Eye pain occurring alongside a change in vision
- Symptoms following recent eye surgery or treatment
- Symptoms following an eye injury
These symptoms can have several causes and do not necessarily mean that you have a retinal tear or detachment. However, they require prompt assessment to establish what is happening.
For new flashes or floaters, careful examination of the peripheral retina is particularly important.
You can contact The Retina Clinic London 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our team will assess the urgency of your enquiry and arrange the most appropriate next step.
If prompt specialist assessment cannot be arranged, you may be advised to attend an appropriate hospital emergency service.
What causes sudden floaters and flashes?
Floaters are moving dots, strands or cobweb-like shapes that appear to drift through your vision. Flashes may resemble brief sparks or streaks of light, often towards the edge of vision.
Three important causes are:
- Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD): The vitreous, the clear gel inside the eye, separates from the retina, the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye. This is a common age-related change and can cause floaters and flashes. PVD is not the same as retinal detachment and often requires no treatment once retinal complications have been excluded.
- Retinal tear: As the vitreous separates, it can sometimes pull strongly enough to create a tear in the retina. Fluid may then pass through the tear and underneath the retina. Prompt treatment can reduce the risk of progression to retinal detachment.
- Retinal detachment: The retina lifts away from its normal position. Symptoms may include a curtain or shadow across the vision, reduced peripheral vision or blurred sight. Retinal detachment requires urgent specialist treatment to help protect vision.
When contacting the clinic, mention any severe short-sightedness, previous retinal problems, family history of retinal detachment, recent eye surgery or eye injury, as these may influence your assessment.
Do symptoms in one eye matter if there is no pain?
Yes. New floaters or flashes in one eye still require urgent assessment.
Retinal detachment is often painless, so the absence of pain does not rule out a retinal problem. Do not wait for symptoms to affect both eyes before seeking assessment.
Central vision can also remain relatively good when an abnormality begins in the peripheral retina. This is why examining the retina beyond its central area is important.
Why is indirect ophthalmoscopy important for sudden floaters and flashes?
Indirect ophthalmoscopy is a specialist examination that allows the clinician to inspect the peripheral retina through a dilated pupil.
At The Retina Clinic London, urgent assessment of new flashes and floaters includes a 360-degree peripheral retinal examination using indirect ophthalmoscopy.
This can include scleral indentation, where gentle external pressure is applied to the white of the eye to help bring the far peripheral retina into view.
This is particularly important because retinal tears associated with posterior vitreous detachment can occur towards the outer edges of the retina.
Advanced imaging adds further valuable information. Ultra-widefield retinal imaging provides a broad panoramic view of the retina, while optical coherence tomography provides highly detailed cross-sectional images of retinal structures.
Together, specialist examination and advanced imaging provide a comprehensive assessment of both peripheral and central retinal health.
What happens at an urgent retinal assessment at TRCL?
Your specialist will first discuss your symptoms, including when they started, whether they have changed and any relevant previous eye problems, surgery or injury.
Dilating drops are then used to widen the pupils so the retina can be examined thoroughly.
Your assessment may include:
- 360-degree indirect ophthalmoscopy, including examination of the peripheral retina
- Scleral indentation to assess the far retinal periphery
- Ultra-widefield retinal imaging to document a panoramic view of the retina
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT) for detailed cross-sectional imaging
- Further imaging or investigations where clinically indicated
The findings from the clinical examination and imaging are considered together before your specialist explains what has been found and what should happen next.
Dilating drops can temporarily blur vision and increase sensitivity to light. Arrange appropriate transport home and do not drive while your vision remains affected.
Will I need treatment or follow-up?
This depends on what the assessment shows.
An uncomplicated posterior vitreous detachment often requires monitoring rather than treatment.
A retinal tear may require laser treatment to create a protective barrier around the tear and reduce the risk of progression.
A retinal detachment may require surgery.
One advantage of urgent assessment at The Retina Clinic London is that our diagnostic facilities, retinal laser services and dedicated onsite operating theatre are available within the same specialist setting.
Where treatment is clinically necessary and appropriate, it can often be arranged on the same day. This may include retinal laser treatment, intravitreal treatment or urgent vitreoretinal surgery.
Not every urgent presentation requires immediate treatment. Your specialist will explain the findings and recommend the most appropriate next step.
A reassuring first examination does not mean later changes should be ignored. Retinal tears can occasionally develop subsequently, so attend recommended follow-up appointments and seek urgent reassessment if you notice:
- Increasing floaters
- New or worsening flashes
- A shadow or curtain across your vision
- New blurred or reduced vision
- A new area of missing vision
Can I get a same-day retinal assessment in London?
Yes. The Retina Clinic London provides access to same-day urgent retinal assessment where clinically necessary and appropriate, with urgent contact available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Our clinic is at 24 Queen Anne Street, London, W1G 9AY.
No referral is required. When you contact us, our team will assess the urgency of your symptoms and arrange the earliest clinically suitable assessment.
For sudden floaters, flashes or symptoms that could indicate a retinal tear or detachment, assessment includes detailed examination of the peripheral retina with indirect ophthalmoscopy, supported by advanced retinal imaging.
If treatment is needed, our onsite retinal laser facilities and dedicated operating theatre allow us to move rapidly from diagnosis to treatment. Same-day treatment can often be arranged when clinically necessary and appropriate.
Urgent contact is available 24/7. Call +44 (0)20 4548 5310.
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