Pete & Howard, for info the NHS define Floaters and accompanying Flashes and offer advice as follows:
"Dots and lines (floaters) or flashes of light in the eyes are common. They're not usually serious."
"If you sometimes see:
floaters – such as small dark dots, squiggly lines, rings or cobwebs
flashes of light
in your vision, it's not usually a sign of anything serious, especially if:
you have had them for a long time
they're not getting worse
your vision is not affected
Flashes may stop by themselves, and floaters often become less noticeable as you get used to them."
Get advice from 111 now or from your nearest eye hospital if:
floaters or flashes appear suddenly
floaters or flashes suddenly increase in number
you have a dark "curtain" or shadow moving across your vision
you also have blurred vision
you also have eye pain
floaters start after eye surgery or an eye injury
These could be signs of a serious problem with the back of your eye, which could permanently affect your vision if it's not treated quickly.
111 will tell you what to do. They can tell you the right place to get help if you need to see someone.
