Act on a sudden change
A sudden shower of new floaters, flashes of light, or a curtain-like shadow across vision can be warning signs of retinal detachment. NEI advises going to an eye doctor or emergency department right away. Do not wait to see whether new glasses help.
An online check cannot rule it out
Retinal detachment involves the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. A dilated examination can check for a tear or detachment. A clear photograph of the outside of the eye or a readable line of text does not replace that assessment.
Give a concise history
When contacting care, say when the change started, which eye is affected, whether there is a shadow or lost area of vision, and whether there was an injury. Mention previous eye surgery and high myopia. Keep the focus on arranging assessment without delay.
Separate routine questions from urgent ones
Questions about occasional longstanding floaters can be discussed at an eye examination, but a sudden increase changes the priority. Our editorial recommendation is to save your local urgent eye-care contact so you do not have to search for a service during a new episode.
Sources & verification
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