Spots in Front of the Eye - Flashes and Floaters

How is the condition diagnosed?

If a person notices a new floater accompanied by light flashes, he or she should be checked by an eye doctor. The eye doctor will put drops in the eye to dilate or widen the pupil and carefully observe the retina and vitreous. It is important to rule out the possibility of a torn retina. Retinal tears can develop as the shrinking vitreous pulls away from the retina. This can cause small amount of bleeding from the tear to build up in the vitreous. This blood looks the same as a typical floater in the person's field of vision. An exam can reveal if the spots in front of the eye are harmless floaters or blood from a tear.