Premier providers of eye surgery and LASIK in Michigan and Northwest Ohio
This year more than ever, a teacher's job can be difficult, especially when glasses or contacts get in the way. That’s why we would like to show our support for our local teachers and make their jobs and lives a little bit easier.
Teachers can take advantage of $500* OFF LASIK! Schedule your FREE LASIK Consultation by filling out the form below.
*$500 off discount ($250 off per eye) is applicable towards bilateral LASIK or PRK. Cannot be combined with other offers or insurance.
Has this ever happened to you? You’re going about your day—running errands, grocery shopping, taking care of yard work—when you suddenly see flashing lights in the corner of your eye that take you by surprise. You know it wasn’t a camera flash or a strike of lightning, but you’re not sure how to explain the phenomenon. To your luck, there’s a medical explanation for seeing flashing lights in the corner of your eyes.
Let’s explore the vision-related causes of these flashing lights and floaters in the eye along with when you need to schedule an appointment with your eye doctor.
Don't worry - this is a common phenomenon that most people experience in their lifetime. Both seeing floaters and flashes of light in the corner of your eye are a result of shrinking vitreous. The vitreous is fluid in the back of the eye that protects the retina and helps the eye maintain its shape.
As your eyes’ vitreous supply naturally diminishes as they age, floaters drift in front of the retina—effectively blocking your field of vision. Dust-like floaters appear differently for everyone, and anyone can experience them as they age. People in their 50s, 60s, and 70s are most likely to experience floaters in their vision. However, other factors such as diabetes, nearsightedness, and past eye swelling issues can increase your risk of developing the eye condition.
Both flashing lights and floaters affect the retina. The retina’s job is to process light that enters your eye and then send that information to your brain. The vitreous is attached to the retina by small fibers. The friction that occurs on these fibers can lead to flashing lights in the eye.
This friction in the eye can be caused by a few different factors, and not all are vision-related. Health conditions such as migraines and diabetes along with medications can create flashing lights in the eyes.
Four main vision-related conditions cause flashing lights to appear. Take a look at what those conditions are, what causes them, and what their effects are:
Posterior vitreous detachment is one of the more common vision-related causes of flashing lights and floaters in the eye. As you age, the vitreous can detach. If this detachment occurs suddenly, the resulting friction can cause floaters and flashing lights to appear in the corner of your eye. This condition occurs naturally in people over the age of 40. While it cannot be prevented, it can be treated.
Optic neuritis is a disorder of the optic nerve that causes swelling and inflammation. The swelling and inflammation can cause flashing lights in the eye and even lead to vision loss or blindness. Other common symptoms include eye redness, blurred vision, double vision, and headaches.
Excess pressure on the retina can result in flashing lights appearing in one or both of your eyes. The pressure can be caused by rubbing your eyes, coughing too hard, or getting bumped or hit on the head. Additional symptoms include dry eyes, headaches, blurred vision, and sore or burning eyes.
Retinal detachment is a condition in which the retina detaches from the underlying tissue in the back of the eye. When this detachment occurs, flashing lights may begin to appear in the eye. Other symptoms include scarring and swelling of the eye. Retinal detachment can be caused by injury due to trauma or inflammation, aging, and underlying eye disease. Since retinal detachment can lead to partial or total vision loss, it should be treated immediately.
Catching a quick flash of light in your vision now and then isn’t usually a big deal. But if you start noticing bright spots, streaks like lightning, or bursts of light off to the side more often, it could be a sign of something more serious going on with your eyes. While eye floaters are not hereditary, retinal tears and detachment can be. Since both eye floaters and flashing lights in the corner of your eyes result from retinal detachment, consult your eye doctor if you begin experiencing either phenomenon.
You should also see an eye doctor if you experience:
Schedule an appointment today with an expert ophthalmologist to get an accurate diagnosis regarding the cause of flashing lights and floaters and to receive a customized treatment plan.
When it’s time to visit an eye doctor to discuss the floaters and flashing lights in your vision, go to the experts at Specialty Eye Institute. Our team of ophthalmologists and eye doctors will accurately diagnose your condition and provide a treatment plan designed for your unique vision needs.
We offer treatments for retinal detachments that can be performed in-office—such as laser retinal detachment surgery and retinal cryopexy. We use the most advanced equipment and techniques to perform these procedures, which enables us to produce optimal vision results for our patients.
Find a Specialty Eye Institute doctor at one of our convenient locations in Michigan or Ohio to receive the professional eye care you deserve. Schedule your appointment online or by calling 877-852-8463 today.
At the beginning of cataract formation, it may be easy to improve your vision through glasses, magnification, bifocals, visual aids, and appropriate lighting. When the cataract progresses to the point that it impairs vision and the way of life, it may be the right time to have cataract surgery.
Aging is considered the primary factor of poor vision, but getting cataract surgery is painless and simple enough to get your clear vision back. According to PBA, visiting a certified ophthalmologist to perform cataract surgery is an excellent way to get your vision back, and it is the most successful surgery performed in the US, with more than three million Americans undergoing the surgery every year.
A cataract is identified with the clouding of the natural lens in an eye. People who are over 40 are the most affected by cataracts when it comes to vision impairment. In addition, cataracts are the world’s primary cause of blindness.
To understand the seriousness of the widespread effect of cataracts, Prevent Blindness America (PBA) stated that cataracts are more common in comparison to the combined cases of diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. Cataracts now affect approximately more than 22 million Americans over the age of 46, and PBA states that the figure will rise to 30 million by 2020.
Cataract symptoms often include blurry vision, similar to looking through cloudy glass. You may also become more sensitive to light. Driving at night may become a challenge because the headlights from oncoming cars may cause more glare than they used to. If you are struggling to see the contrast between different colors or the colors you observe appear less vibrant, this is a sign it's time to talk with a certified ophthalmologist about the advantages of having cataract surgery.
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The eye’s lens functions like the lens of a camera, it is used to focus light on the retina, and it adjusts the focus of the eye for you to see things clearly for both close or distant objects. The main components of the lens are protein and water.
The protein is organized in a way to keeps the lens clear for the light to easily pass through. Over time, the protein may build up and form a small cloudy part of the lens. The cloud may become larger over time forming a cataract, which will make it harder for you to see.
The reason why the lens changes as we age is unknown to us, but doctors have identified factors that cause a cataract; they include:
One of the known theories about the formation of cataracts is the oxidative changes in the lens. Nutrition studies support this theory because vegetables and fruits that have antioxidants can help prevent the cause of distinct types of cataracts.
When you talk with an ophthalmologist about having cataract surgery, you will become familiar with the process of removing the clouded lens in your eye with a clear intraocular lens (IOL). Intraocular lenses are plastic in nature.
Recent developments in IOLs allow patients to have lens options based on their lifestyle. There are 4 main types of IOLs:
Men should also be careful to know that some prostate drugs can cause IFIS (Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome) when cataract removal is being performed.
If there is a cataract in each of your eyes, typically cataract surgery is performed on your non-dominant eye first followed by your dominant eye 1-2 weeks later. The time between the two cataract surgeries is in case infection or complications occur.
To prevent yourself from having cataract surgery, use antioxidant vitamins like omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin C, and also wear sunglasses to block UV rays when you are enjoying the sun. If you are struggling to read or drive at night, this is a sign of vision issues that need to be diagnosed by a certified ophthalmologist or optometrist. Our staff of ophthalmologists offers innovative eye care solutions such as LASIK eye surgery, blepharoplasty surgery, glaucoma treatments, corneal transplants, and keratoconus options. Give our team of ophthalmologists a call by phone at (877) 421-9132 to discuss eye care treatments.
Schedule your cataract screening today!
Laser eye surgery is a great option for people who want a lasting, cost-effective vision solution that gives them the freedom to do what they love free of glasses or contacts. However, enjoying these benefits may not be as simple as going in for a LASIK procedure and then going right back to your day-to-day routine for everyone. Here are a few things you should know about your LASIK recovery time and what can affect your LASIK eye surgery recovery.
There are various stages of the LASIK surgery recovery timeline. A lot of people notice significantly enhanced vision immediately following their LASIK eye surgery. Most patients can return to their normal routine in just a few days.
After laser eye surgery, it will be important to use the eye drops prescribed by your eye doctor. This will maximize the healing process and prevent any infection. For each stage in the LASIK recovery timeline, keep in mind that there are different expectations in terms of visual results, steps in your aftercare, and tips to speed up the healing process.
To ensure a smooth recovery at the conclusion of LASIK eye surgery, it's important to wear a protective eye covering on the first day after the procedure. In addition, you will need to be driven home by a friend or family member. Wear this covering until the next morning and swap it with any protective sunglasses you received from your doctor. You can shower after the first day, but avoid irritating your eyes with water or soap.
You may experience some eye discomfort on the first day of the LASIK surgery recovery. Usually, this means dryness, blurriness, itchiness, and light sensitivity. However, these symptoms should be alleviated with lubricating eye drops prescribed by your doctor and over-the-counter pain relief medication. If you experience worsening pain, contact your physician.
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Your physician will want to see you at least a couple of days following your eye procedure to ensure you are navigating the LASIK eye surgery recovery timeline correctly. During the first week and onward of your healing process, you should be using the eye drops and pain medication as often as prescribed.
You will need to avoid touching your eyes, using eye makeup (and remover) and creams, doing yard work, night driving, and exercising. Avoid coming into contact with general eye irritants (e.g. dust, smoke). This will prevent infection and allow the incision to heal.
To maintain the safety of your eyes throughout the healing process, wear UV-protective eyewear or protective goggles outside and during physical activity or home improvement tasks.
The eye discomfort and light issues you may have initially experienced should be gone or at least substantially better. You will be visiting your eye doctor periodically over the next year so they can check on the progress of your LASIK eye surgery recovery and vision improvements.
Although uncommon—if you’re experiencing vision issues after your procedure, your doctor may recommend getting a LASIK enhancement surgery to improve your eyesight further.
There are a few factors that can affect your LASIK eye surgery recovery timeline outside of just following your laser eye surgeon’s guidelines:
There’s no guarantee that LASIK surgery will give you perfect vision, but it is highly successful. Most patients can expect quick, notable results after LASIK eye surgery so close to 20/20 vision that they may no longer depend on corrective lenses.
While your vision will continue to change as part of the aging process, LASIK permanently reshapes your cornea. Most patients enjoy their new vision for years to come.
Read More: Is LASIK Worth It?
Depending on how quickly you tend to heal, you can typically return to most normal activities in a few days. Your surgeon will go over any restrictions at the time of surgery and following your 1-day post-operative appointment. Some temporary restrictions immediately following surgery may include driving, showering, rubbing your eyes, reading, swimming, exercising, and sports. It is also recommended that you stay away from dirty and dusty environments. These restrictions are only temporary and your doctor will instruct you on when you can resume these activities.
Some common LASIK recovery complications include irritation, discomfort, and night glares. To minimize any recovery complications, visit your eye doctor for several follow-up visits within the first year of your procedure. These follow-up visits allow your eye doctor to follow your healing timeline. If you experience any vision issues following your LASIK procedure, we advise you to contact your eye doctor immediately.
Picking an experienced surgeon is important when considering laser eye surgery. The staff of ophthalmologists at Specialty Eye Institute offers various types of eye care solutions such as LASIK eye surgery, dry eye treatments, cataract surgery, keratoconus treatments, and glaucoma options. Schedule your LASIK consultation to learn more! Give our staff of ophthalmologists and optometrists a call by phone at (877) 421-9132 to talk about the benefits and recovery timeline of a LASIK procedure.
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Have you recently been diagnosed with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)? You may qualify to take part in a clinical research study to evaluate an investigational eye medication. Talk with your retina doctor for more details.
To participate you must be:
This clinical research study could be right for you!
If you qualify to participate:
For More Information Contact:
Shellie Fuentes, Clinical Study Coordinator
TLC Eyecare & Laser Centers
[email protected]
(517) 749-1755
877-852-8463
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