Your eyes

Eye conditions

EYE FLOATERS

WHAT ARE EYE FLOATERS?  
They are small moving spots that appear in your field of vision. They follow the rapid motions of the eye and are particularly noticeable when looking at a blank surface such as white paper or a blue sky.
As part of the normal ageing process, the vitreous (a gel-like substance at the back of the eye) degenerates.  This causes the formation of veils and clumps in the vitreous, which float in the section behind the lens of the eye. As this degeneration continues, the vitreous pulls away from the back of the eye.  This is called a posterior vitreous detachment (PVD).  A posterior vitreous detachment is not the same as a retinal detachment, which is discussed elsewhere on the website.

SYMPTOMS
These floaters are better visible against a light, plain background and have been described as:

• Spots.

• Cobwebs.

• Threadlike strands.

• Flying insects.

• Small clouds.

How might floaters look to a patient?
Once you develop eye floaters they usually do not go away, though they tend to improve over time.
Sometimes, as a result of the degeneration, the vitreous exerts traction or pull on the inner aspect of the retina.  This leads to the appearance of flashing lights.  If these light flashes are accompanied by a sudden increase in the amount of floaters, along with a decrease in the visual field of that eye, the possibility exists that the vitreous degeneration may be complicated by a retinal detachment.  In these circumstances, an eye specialist should be contacted as soon as possible.

RISK FACTORS FOR VITREOUS FLOATERS

• Age.

• Nearsightedness/myopia.

• Cataract surgery.

• YAG laser surgery.

• Inflammation in the eye.

• Diabetes mellitus.

• Eye injury.

• Bleeding in the eye.

TREATMENT
In general, no treatment is required, as there is no danger in leaving it as it is.  Should the floaters be very dense and cause significant obstruction to the vision, the whole vitreous may be removed by means of a vitrectomy.

 This is, however, only indicated in the most severe cases for two reasons:

• The risks involved in the surgery greatly outweighs the advantages.

• The ongoing process of degeneration usually treats the condition in a natural way. While the degeneration progresses, the vitreous liquifies, allowing the veils and clumps to settle in the bottom half of the eye below the visual axis, with the result that the line of vision becomes unaffected.

At the first appearance of floaters, you should have your eye examined.
If you only have a few eye floaters that don't change over time, it usually does not indicate a serious eye problem.

It's important to see a doctor if:

• Eye floaters seem to worsen over time, especially if the changes are sudden in onset.

• You experience flashes of light or any vision loss accompanied by eye floaters.

• You develop eye floaters after eye surgery or eye trauma.

• You have eye pain along with eye floaters.

As these may be caused by:

• Retinal Detachment

• Retinal Tear

• Bleeding within the eye