Posterior Vitreous Detachment Symptoms

Posterior vitreous detachment is when the outer lining of the eye known as the vitreous begins to pull away from the retina. It is a condition that commonly occurs to people over the age of 65, or it could also occur in people who are short-sighted. It is important to have your doctor monitor your posterior vitreous detachment, but by itself it is not a vision threatening condition.

Floaters

• One of the more common symptoms of posterior vitreous detachment is what is referred to as floaters. Floaters are objects that seem to float back and forth across your field of vision, but when you reach out to touch them they are not there. That is because they are being generated from within your eye and they are not physical objects floating around outside. They may look like dots, or webs, or they may just look like small pieces of thread or specs of dust that float around in front of your eyes.

Flashers

• As the vitreous continues to detach from the retina, it will pull on the retina causing what the brain interprets as flashing lights. As the condition advances these episodes of flashing lights will become more frequent, and they could also become more intense. The sensation could be that of sparks of light flashing right in front of your eyes, or it could be more of a consistent effect that causes a temporary blinding sensation. Flashers are much more noticeable in a dark room, and they can also happen more frequently when you move your eye.

One Eye

• One of the ways that you can tell if you are suffering from posterior vitreous detachment is whether or not the floaters and flashes happen in one eye or both eyes. Floaters and flashes can happen at the same time, and if you find that they are happening all in one eye, this is a good indication that you may have posterior vitreous detachment.

Retinal Detachment

• One of the conditions that posterior vitreous detachment could lead to is retinal detachment. Retinal detachment could lead to a complete loss of vision in the affected eye, so it is important to pay attention to the signs that your posterior vitreous detachment is turning into retinal detachment. You will notice more frequent floaters, and your floaters may start to increase in size. Your flashers will also increase in frequency and intensity. If these symptoms start to occur, get medical assistance immediately.

Prognosis

• The condition of posterior vitreous detachment is not going to cause permanent eyesight loss. You will have flashers and floaters for the rest of your life, but they are not an indication that you are losing your eyesight. Your doctor will keep a watch on your posterior vitreous detachment to make sure that it does not start to develop into retinal detachment.