I've always thought the little specks that float across your eye and then disappear were floaters. But on Tuesday I suddenly got a little black line on my vision which moved wherever I looked and didn't fade away. I thought it might be a mark on my contact lens but in the evening when I took it out the line was still there. I rang the opticians and they said it probably was a floater, though it's totally different from those tiny transient specks I've had over the years, and to just get an eye test along with my lens check appointment which is in a month's time. I looked up symptoms of detached retinas as my Mum and my Grandpa both had this, and that said a single floater wasn't anything to worry about. But yesterday I got another little blurred ring on my vision just near the first line, and I think there might have been a flash or two as well though I could only see that in the dark last night so it might have just been car headlights. Should I ring the optician again, they are very busy so might not have an appointment for 2 weeks anyway? Or is there a walk-in eye doctor people can go see? Or what??

Could you go to A&E for that?  If not I think I would be trying to get an appointment with the optician for sooner just to be on the safe side.

I just don't know, I always thought A&E was where you go for life threatening things though I know that's not the case. I'm not at home today but will perhaps try to get a sooner appointment - the earliest one they offered me when I phoned Tuesday was the 8th March, so I may need to be more insistent - surely they could squeeze me in as an urgent case if I went and waited?

Why not try your doctor I was fast tracked to eye clinic via my doctor

I would get on to the opticians again for advise.

Karen

Get yourself to an opticians today, they will have spaces for emergencies and can refer you directly the hospital themselves for an emergency appointment if they need to.  For all you know you could have a bleed in your retina or retinal detachment or anything.  You only have one set of eyes.  Having lost 90% of the sight in my left eye last year, suddenly and without warning, due to a bleed in the macular, please dont take any chances.

I've floaters for many years since i caught a dose of toxoplasmosis as a child. The worst of it was going to school and not being able to see what was written on the blackboard as the blackboard was black, the chalk was white and the floaters were black. Hence i couldn't see what was written! The last flare up i had was about ten years ago and i was under Moorfields eye hospital in London. I used to go for regular check ups just to make sure as was well and the floaters were not in places of my eye ball where they shouldn't be. The specialists also asked me to tell them of any 'flashes'. While an optician is a good start i don't think they have the equipment to photograph your eyes and measure the pressure etc. I really wouldn't worry about making a fuss with anyone and if you are near a eye hospital just turn up as you would do like an A&E as i did. Good luck and let us know how you get on. xx

Lucy , please ring your optician and describe your symptoms in full, hopefully they will see you sooner as mine did when I had a similar problem last year.  Several of the symptoms you describe are an indication of inflammation of the iris (Uveitis/Iritis).  Now, it may not be, and it may be just a harmless floater but do get it checked as a matter of urgency as, if it is the beginning of something more serious, it's best to get it early an nip it in the bud.

For my last few checkups I've been to Boots Opticians and they were very thorough. They are able to measure the pressures and I imagine most opticians will have the latest equipment to photograph the back of the eye. The first optician there I saw referred me to a specialist where they diagnosed pigment dispersion syndrome (which gives no symptoms) and then more recently I had 4 small blurry patches in one eye, got a test at the same Boots the next day and he got me to another eye specialist the following day where they confirmed epiretinal membrane.

Our local town has at least a dozen opticians and the big supermarkets have them so there are many options. It's quite scary but best to get your eyes checked a.s.a.p.

If all else fails do pop into you local A&E as even though it may not be life threatening it could need more urgent treatment and hopefully they will be able to refer you to the eye clinic...it's what we do at work.
Aileen

A and E would be appropriate for this unless you know where your nearest a&e eye department is then use that.
years ago now my then 11 yearlod had sudden onset sight problems I rang the optician who incidently is a moorfields consultant so could have seen my son if needed immediately sent him to  a&e We did have the beginning of a big problems which thankfully is now sorted.

Lucy, are you having blinding flashes and/or headaches with the floater? I have floaters of different sizes, and have had them for years. It is one sign of a detached retina, but if you are having the flashes or headaches as well then get yourself down to an optician NOW. My retina is thinning, and the floaters are the bits coming away. I am NOT having blinding flashes or headaches with it though and my optician keeps a close eye on me (pun not intended ;-) )

Go to your Dr for a referral to the hospital, I woke one morning with no sight in one eye my Dr sent me straight to hospital, diagnosed as Anterior Ischemic optic neurology, left being blind in one eye. Possibly due to high cholestrol. Sight is so important don't neglect it.

I always thought A&E was where you go for life threatening things

i dont know about anyone else, but my sight would be as important as life to me! i would go to a&e immidiately, if its a detached retina you could go blind if not treated at once.
better safe than sorry

No blinding flashes or headaches, just these 2 floaters really. I've got an appointment for this afternoon, will let you know what they say. :-)

A&E really isn't the place to go, especially as you would need to see a specialist to properly know what's going on.  Many Tesco's etc. have opticians now so a lot easier to go and be seen same day.  I used to have floaters quite often years ago and went through a spate of them lasting for some time, but luckily not had them for a long time now.
Hope all went well at the opticians and you get it sorted soon.

Our a+e has access to opthalmic consultants who are on call if not already there. They will also refer you there and then if itis thought necessary to the eye hospital (s) as required. have scratched my corma more than once unfortunately and always been sent to a and e by the optician

Thanks all! I did ring them again yesterday - I couldn't get in that day because of the plane ride we'd booked with Mum, but I spent the afternoon at the opticians getting all checked out and there's no sign of any detached retina or any rips. They'll refer me to the eye hospital because they can see a bigger area of the eye with their equipment, but they don't think it's anything to worry about. :-)

That's good news hope next appointment goes well too

Good news :-)  Hope it all checks out fine at the eye hospital.