Eye floaters: symptoms, causes, to treatment

Definition

What are eye floaters?

Eye floaters or vitreous opacities are a condition in which you experience eye floaters, small patches that block your field of vision.

Eye floaters may look like black or gray spots, strings or cobwebs, which float up when you move your eye and appear to streak if you try to look closely

Most eye floaters are caused by age changes as the jelly-like (vitreous) substance in your eye becomes more fluid. The microscopic fibers in the vitreous tend to clump together and can cast tiny shadows on your retina. These shadows are called floaters.

If you suddenly notice increased floaters in your eye, call your doctor right away. If you see flashing lights or lose your peripheral vision, go to the Emergency Room immediately. It could be a symptom of an emergency that requires immediate attention.

How common is this condition?

This condition can occur in patients of any age. This condition can be treated by reducing risk factors. Talk to your doctor for more information.

Signs and Symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of eye floaters?

Common symptoms of eye floaters are:

• Spotting on sight that looks like dark spots or a series of floating material.
• The patches move when you move your eye, so that when you try to see them, they move quickly outside of your field of vision.
• Spots are most noticeable when you look at a light, plain background, such as a blue sky or a white wall.
• The patches that eventually fade and disappear from your view.

As the name implies, this shadow moves around your eye. These shadows tend to dodge when you try to focus. Once you have this condition, it usually doesn't go away, but it can get better over time.

There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

You should contact your doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• More shadows in the eye than usual
• Suddenly a new shadow appeared
• Flash of light
• Darkness of the side of vision (loss of peripheral vision)

These symptoms can be caused by a tearing of the retina, with or without retinal detachment - a dangerous condition that requires immediate treatment. You can lose vision if this condition is not treated by the right doctor.

Cause

What causes eye floaters?

Most floaters are tiny specks of a protein called collagen. These tiny spots are part of a gel-like substance at the back of the eye called the vitreous.

As you age, the quality of your vision tends to decline. The protein fibers that make up the vitrous shrink into small, lumpy pieces. The shadows that appear on the retina are floaters. If you see a flash, it is because the vitreous has been pulled from the retina.

Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, here are some of the causes of eye floaters:

• Age-related eye changes. This condition most often results from age-related changes in the vitreous, the jelly-like substance that fills the eyeball and helps keep the eye in shape. Over time, the vitreous partially melts and shrinks. The remains of the lumpy vitreous block some of the light that enters the eye, creating a small shadow on the retina.
• Inflammation behind the eyes. Posterior uveitis is inflammation of the uvea layer behind the eye. Posterior uveitis, which can cause shadows in the eye, can be caused by infection or inflammatory disease.
• Bleeding in the eye. Bleeding in the vitreous can cause injury and irritation of the blood vessels.
• Torn retina. Tears in the retina can occur when the shrinking vitreous becomes stuck on the retina and tears it. Without treatment, a tear in the retina can cause retinal detachment - fluid accumulation behind the retina that causes the retina to separate from the eye. Untreated retinal detachment can lead to permanent vision loss.
• Eye surgery and medication. Certain drugs that are injected into the vitreous can cause air bubbles. These bubbles are seen as shadows until your eyes absorb them. Certain surgeries add a silicone oil gel to the vitreous which can also be seen as tiny shadows or spots on the eye.
• Diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes can damage the blood vessels that lead to the retina. When these vessels are damaged, the retina may not be able to show images and light.

Risk factors

What increases my risk for eye floaters?

There are many risk factors for eye floaters, namely:

• Age over 50 years
• Nearsighted
• Eye trauma
• Complications from cataract surgery
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Inflammation of the eye.

Diagnosis and Treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How is this condition diagnosed?

The doctor will perform a complete eye exam including eye dilation to see the back of the eye more clearly.

How are eye floaters treated?

Eye floaters can be frustrating, and adjusting to the condition can take a long time. However, you may be able to ignore it or notice it less often.

If eye floaters interfere with your vision, which is rare, you and your eye doctor may consider treatments, such as:

• Using a laser to remove floaters. The eye doctor will aim a special laser at the floaters in the vitreous, which can break up the floaters and make them less visible. Some people who have had this treatment have experienced improved vision, but some have only felt little or no difference.
• The risks of laser therapy include damage to the retina if the laser is directed inappropriately. Laser surgery to treat this condition is rarely performed.
• Using surgery to remove the vitreous. The eye doctor will remove the vitreous through a small incision and replace it with fluid to help the eye keep its shape. The operation may not remove all of the floaters, and new floaters may appear after surgery. The risks of vitrectomy include bleeding and tearing of the retina.

Eye floaters rarely cause additional problems, unless they're a symptom of a more serious condition. Although it will never completely go away, it can improve over the course of a few weeks or months.

Prevention

What can I do to prevent or treat eye floaters at home?

Most eye floaters appear as part of the natural aging process. Although you cannot prevent eye floaters, you can be sure that this condition is not the result of a more serious problem.

Once you begin to notice eye floaters, visit your eye doctor. Your doctor can confirm that eye floaters are not a symptom of a more serious condition that can harm your vision.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.