What are eye floaters?
As a child, I used to lie on my back and stare at the sky, amused with the shapes of the clouds. As I grew older, I could see tiny specks moving with my vision. They looked like specks, webs and strands. I wondered if I was possessing some microscopic eye-sight that enabled me to see the molecules in the sky. I was surprised when I came to know that they are Eye Floaters.
How are they caused?
A gel like substance fills 80% of our eye and helps it maintain a round shape. This gel is called Vitreous. As we age, the vitreous shrinks and becomes stringy. These strings or fine fibers cast tiny shadows on the retina.
Who suffers from floaters?
- People who are very nearsighted
- People who are Diabetic
- People who had undergone cataract surgery.
- People who had YAG laser surgery of the eye.
- People who had any inflammation inside the eye.
Symptoms
- You can see sudden flashes of light
- Appearance of a large floater
- Appearance of new floaters suddenly
- Loss of side vision
Risks
Eye Floaters risk-
Vitreous Detachment
Appearance of floaters might indicate Vitreous detachment. Due to the shrinking of the vitreous, the fine fibers pull on the retinal surface and break. This leads to the detachment of the vitreous from the retina. Vitreous detachment does not really treat a vision loss.
Retinal Detachment
In some cases vitreous fibers pull so hard on the retina that they create a macular hole or lead to a retinal detachment. Both of these conditions are sight-threatening and should be treated immediately. If left untreated, a macular hole or detached retina can lead to permanent vision loss in the affected eye.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for Eye floaters and Vitreous detachment as such. These floaters may gradually fade away with time.
Just to ensure that you are not at a risk of a torn retina make sure you get your eyes examined beforehand.
If you have had floaters for quite a few years, then you should visit an ophthalmologist.
