Minor surgical procedures usually can prevent these problems if diagnosed early. If these problems become advanced, major eye surgery may be needed to prevent blindness. However, as with retinal tears, surgery often is unable to completely reverse the damage caused by scar tissue. There are no medications available that are effective in treating most floaters. Although floaters can be bothersome, most people learn to ignore them.
Many patients suffer from both floaters and light flashes.
Light flashes refer to the false sensation that light is flashing into the eye. Light flashes are bright and of very short duration. They usually are shaped like a line or an arc and may appear to shoot in a certain direction. Light flashes seem to occur in the side of the field of vision and can be seen even when the eyes are closed. Some of the same conditions that cause floaters also cause light flashes.