Eye floaters and flashes of light can lead to blindness
Toronto: Eye floaters and flashes of light
can lead to blindness if left untreated, a new study led by an
Indo-Canadian researcher claimed.
Researchers at Queen's University and Hotel Dieu
Hospital in Kingston found that eye floaters and flashes of
light are linked to retinal tear or detachment and may even
cause blindness if left untreated.
Eye floaters is a disease in which affected people see
floating black spots within their vision when they look
around.
The team led by Dr Sanjay Sharma said that one out of
seven patients with the symptom are likely to have a retinal
tear or detachment, Journal of the American Medical
Association reported.
"If we detect a tear and laser, we can save people from
potentially going blind...But if fluid gets in under the
retina and causes it to detach, it may be too late," Sharma,
professor of Ophthalmology and Epidemiology at Queen's, said.
He also pointed out that only high-tech equipment and a
thorough retinal examination can detect retinal tears since
they are really difficult to see.
Sharma added: "If new floaters are associated with
visual loss or the presence of blood or 'tobacco dust' in the
eye jelly, the risk of retinal tear is significantly higher,
he added".
PTI