Flashes and Floaters
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Updated: Apr 4, 2026

Author Spotlight: Ex Vivo OCT-Based Multimodal Imaging of Human Donor Eyes for Research into Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Published on: May 26, 2023
Priya Sharma1, Jayanth Sridhar2, Sonia Mehta3
1Wills Eye Hospital, General Ophthalmology Service, 840 Walnut Street, Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Abstract:
Flashes and floaters are common ocular complaints. Flashes refer to aberrations of light that are seen in a patient's field of gaze. The flashes can be of varying sizes, colors, frequency, and durations, depending on the cause. Floaters are another common visual phenomenon caused by particles or debris in the vitreous gel of the eye that cause shadows and thus visual changes, especially against bright backgrounds and in brightly lit environments. Flashes and floaters can occur individually or together. This article discusses common causes of flashes and floaters to help with the triaging and management of these patients.
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