Have you noticed tiny specks drifting across your vision or brief flashes of light? While flashes and floaters are common and often harmless, sudden changes could indicate serious retinal problems like tears or detachment. Floaters appear as dots, strings, or shadows caused by age-related changes in the vitreous, while flashes occur when the vitreous tugs on the retina. Risk factors such as high nearsightedness, prior eye surgery, eye trauma, or family history increase the ch