What Are Eye Floaters

River Watcher: Floaters and sinkers

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Cause and Symptoms of Eye Floaters

Have you ever noticed spots in your vision but when you try to look at them, they move too? Those are eye floaters and are extremely common and generally harmless. Your eye is filled with fluid that is the consistency of jelly when you are younger, but becomes more fluid as you age. This fluid, called vitreous humor, is what helps your eyeball maintain its shape.

There are millions of little fibers that intertwine throughout the vitreous humor and as you age and the jelly turns to liquid. These fibers clump up and sometimes cast shadows on your retina that appear to you most commonly as gray or black specks, or sometimes strings or cobwebs. As the vitreous humor liquefies, it pulls away from the sides of your eye and because the fibers inside of it are attached to the retina, they may sometimes cause a tear in the retina. A few occasional eye floaters are OK, but if you notice a sudden increase, you should contact your doctor.

Even though eye floaters are normal, especially in people over 50, you should pay attention to how often you get them simply because these fibers are attached to the retina. If you ever notice flashes of light, or in the worst case scenario, lose your peripheral vision, contact your doctor immediately. These are symptoms of a torn or detached retina and can cause blindness if not treated as soon as possible. There won’t be any accompanying pain, so don’t wait for it to hurt. Go to the doctor as soon as you notice because even waiting a few days can cause permanent damage.

Though incredibly annoying sometimes, eye floaters will generally settle down to the bottom of your vitreous cavity and will stop casting shadows on the retina but occasionally they will become so numerous that they interfere with your eyesight. When you go to the optometrist or ophthalmologist, the doctor will dilate your eyes so that he can see inside. In very rare situations, having the floaters removed may be suggested.

During the procedure, called a vitrectomy, the doctor will insert a hollow needle into your eye to remove the vitreous humor, and when the liquid is withdrawn, the fibers come with it. The fluid will be replaced with a saltwater solution.

There are now laser treatments for this too, but they carry the same risks as the traditional procedure. Remember that the fibers are connected to the retina, so when they are removed, there is a chance of tearing or detaching the retina.

Also, it’s probable that not all of the eye floaters will be removed. It’s for these reasons that surgery is very rarely recommended. However, using eye supplements can greatly help in reducing eye floaters. The best thing to do as long as they are just an occasional nuisance is ignore them and learn to live with them. After awhile, you may not even notice them.

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