KINGSTON, Ontario -- November 27, 2009 -- Suddenly seeing floaters or flashes of light may indicate a serious eye problem that, if untreated, could lead to blindness, according to a study published online in JAMA.
The researchers discovered that 1 in 7 patients with this symptom will have a retinal tear or detachment.
"If we detect a tear and laser it, we can save people from potentially going blind," said senior author Sanjay Sharma, MD, Ophthalmology and Epidemiology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. "But if fluid gets in under the retina and causes it to detach, it may be too late."
Because retinal tears can be extremely difficult to see, high-tech equipment and a thorough peripheral retinal examination are required to detect them, he added.
For the study, the team analysed nearly 200 articles published in the peer-reviewed literature. They then performed a meta-analysis of 17 articles, and noted that a retinal tear occurred in 14% of the cases of new onset floaters associated with an age-related change in the eye's jelly.
"If new floaters are associated with visual loss, a defect in the visual field, or the presence of blood or 'tobacco dust' in the eye jelly, the risk of retinal tear is significantly higher," says Dr. Sharma.
"Since retinal tear can lead to detachment in up to 50% of cases, new floaters and flashes is a medical condition that needs urgent assessment."
SOURCE: Queens University
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