Eye Floaters. What are those things?

Eye Floaters. What are those things?

The inside of your eye is filled with a gel-like substance called the vitreous, which makes up over 2/3 of your total eye. This substance is actually what gives your eye its shape and form. What happens over time is that some debris - caused by blood, torn retinal tissue, inflammation or just simple "wear and tear" – begins to float around your eye inside the vitreous.

These tiny and microscopic foreign objects may seem like they are in front of your eye, but they are actually just casting shadows. These shadows are what you see as spots, lines or clouds. Sometimes people may momentarily confuse them with dust or tiny insects floating across in front of the eye. However, they are within the eyeball and are not eliminated by rubbing the front of the eye. They follow the rapid movements of the eye while drifting slowly from one place to another. If floaters didn't move, they would be invisible due to a process called neural adaptation.

Most doctors consider these eye floaters to be a natural part of aging. Since eye floaters are rarely painful – or dangerous –their typical response is to tell you not to worry!!

But you know how annoying and troublesome these spots can be. You know that reading, watching TV, using the computer, or even taking a walk in the sunshine can be unpleasant and irritating.
Eye floaters look like black or gray specks, strings or cobwebs that drift about when you move your eyes.

Are Eye Floaters Serious?
Under normal circumstances, eye floaters are absolutely nothing to worry about. Everyone experiences them from time to time and they cause no ill effects.

When Should I Start to get Worried?
Specks in front of the eyes are normally clearly visible when looking into a light background. However, if they start becoming visible in every background, suddenly increase in number and are accompanied by any loss of vision, it is vital that immediate medical advice is sought. This could be an early sign of retinal detachment.

If the retina has become detached or has a hole in it, you will begin to experience flashing lights before your eyes and you will also be aware of numerous floaters. These two symptoms will be accompanied by a loss of vision, so urgent medical advice is necessary. Surgery is required to seal any holes in the retina, or to re-attach the retina to the back of the eyeball.

Is There a Cure for Eye Floaters?
Most of us want to avoid dangerous surgeries at all costs. There is no real way, as of yet, to cure one's eyes from floaters completely. However, the eye's natural healing process is much more powerful than some people want to believe.

Floaters may cause depression, anxiety and many other related problems. Even saying that, I want to say something very important: Avoid surgery at all costs. If your eyes are not in pain and you do not see any flashes of light, then please do yourself a favor and never subject yourself to surgery. Even if you do see occasional flashes of light, go see your doctor and don't insist on having surgery. Ask many questions and consult at least two doctors. It's your eyes we are talking about: you only have two and you must take care of them.

If you live in the Inland Empire, feel free to give us a call or stop by our office. We'll be more than happy to answer any questions you may have about floaters, or any other vision topic.

As always, if the symptoms persist, see your doctor. If you have any questions, please feel free to Ask My Eye Doctor here. Or call us at 909-885-1134