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Black Spots In The Eyes, Headache. Causes?
Question: I have been seeing black specs in both my eyes and once in awhile flashes followed by a bad headache.
hello and thanks for the query.
I understand your concern and will try to explain to you what is happening.
Sometimes we notice spots that seem to float across our field of vision, especially if we are looking at a bright background, such as a clear blue sky. These "floaters" or black specs as you called are usually caused by bits of debris floating around in the vitreous, the jellylike substance that fills most of the eye. The ancient Romans used to call floaters muscae volitantes, which is Latin for "flying flies."
These "flying flies" flit between the cornea and retina, so the light entering the eye hits the spots and creates shadows on the retina itself—like a rotten tomato flying between a spotlight and the singer on stage. As we get older, the vitreous becomes more liquid and less jellylike, and the floaters become more prominent.
Floaters can also be produced when the vitreous detaches from the back of the eye. This detachment is sometimes accompanied by an occasional sensation of flashing or flickering lights and an increased number of floating spots. This on-again, off-again flickering or flashing can last for several weeks.
As a rule, a vitreous detachment is nothing to worry about. Only rarely does it create a hole or tear in the retina that may cause tiny blood vessels to break and bleed. But the flashing lights it produces could be tied to a migraine—with or without the headache.
If the flashing lights are accompanied by a large number of new spots, or a decrease in your vision, you may have a detached retina, and you should see your ophthalmologist as soon as possible.
Flashing lights that appear as jagged lines or "heat waves" in both eyes and last for about 10 or 20 minutes sometimes accompany or precede migraines. They are usually caused by a spasm and dilation of blood vessels in the brain. If they are accompanied by a headache, you have a migraine headache.
So while most floaters can be ignored, if they persist, get worse, or interfere with your vision, check with your doctor.
I hope to have answered your query however you can revert to me for any other query.
Thanks and best of luck.
I understand your concern and will try to explain to you what is happening.
Sometimes we notice spots that seem to float across our field of vision, especially if we are looking at a bright background, such as a clear blue sky. These "floaters" or black specs as you called are usually caused by bits of debris floating around in the vitreous, the jellylike substance that fills most of the eye. The ancient Romans used to call floaters muscae volitantes, which is Latin for "flying flies."
These "flying flies" flit between the cornea and retina, so the light entering the eye hits the spots and creates shadows on the retina itself—like a rotten tomato flying between a spotlight and the singer on stage. As we get older, the vitreous becomes more liquid and less jellylike, and the floaters become more prominent.
Floaters can also be produced when the vitreous detaches from the back of the eye. This detachment is sometimes accompanied by an occasional sensation of flashing or flickering lights and an increased number of floating spots. This on-again, off-again flickering or flashing can last for several weeks.
As a rule, a vitreous detachment is nothing to worry about. Only rarely does it create a hole or tear in the retina that may cause tiny blood vessels to break and bleed. But the flashing lights it produces could be tied to a migraine—with or without the headache.
If the flashing lights are accompanied by a large number of new spots, or a decrease in your vision, you may have a detached retina, and you should see your ophthalmologist as soon as possible.
Flashing lights that appear as jagged lines or "heat waves" in both eyes and last for about 10 or 20 minutes sometimes accompany or precede migraines. They are usually caused by a spasm and dilation of blood vessels in the brain. If they are accompanied by a headache, you have a migraine headache.
So while most floaters can be ignored, if they persist, get worse, or interfere with your vision, check with your doctor.
I hope to have answered your query however you can revert to me for any other query.
Thanks and best of luck.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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