Floaters and Flashes in the Eyes (NHS)

Tier 1: Established: peer-reviewed research or government health authority
Publisher: NHS (National Health Service) · Published: August 9, 2026 · Accessed: August 9, 2026

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Claims this source supports

• Floaters and flashes are common and usually not serious, especially if you've had them a long time and they are not getting worse.
• Ask for an urgent optician appointment or NHS 111 if you suddenly get floaters or flashes, the number suddenly increases, you have a dark curtain or shadow moving across your vision, or floaters come with blurred vision or eye pain.
• Floaters and flashes are usually caused by posterior vitreous detachment, a harmless process where the gel inside the eye changes; they can also be caused by retinal detachment, which is serious and can lead to permanent vision loss if not treated.