What Are Eye Floaters?

If you suffer from spots in your vision, you have what is known as eye floaters. These can be gray or black specks, spots, or cobwebs. These will drift around in your line of vision, and they will move around when you try to look at them.

Eye floaters are typically caused by age-related issues. They are caused by the vitreous, a jelly-like substance in your eye becoming a more liquid state. It has fibers that clump up, which causes the shadows on your eye.

Here are the signs that you have eye floaters:

• Shapes in your vision. These can look like strings of floating material. These shapes and strings will move out of your line of vision within a few minutes. In some cases, eye floaters may last for longer.
• Spots. When you move your eyes, these spots will move quickly out of your vision. These spots may be more noticeable when you look at a white wall or something that is solid colored.

Typically, you will not have to see an eye doctor for floaters. However, if you start to see the following symptoms, you should give your eye doctor a call. In very rare cases, eye floaters can be a cause for concern.

• Sudden onset of new floaters.
• Many floaters in one eye.
• Loss of peripheral vision.

These symptoms could be an indication that you have a retinal tear. This could be with the retinal detachment or out. This could threaten the loss of your sight and needs to be treated immediately. Learn about routine eye exams.

There are many things that can cause your eye floaters. These include:

• Eye inflammation. Eye inflammation at the back of the eye can cause debris to flow into the vitreous layer. This can also be caused by eye infections.
• Bleeding in the eye. If there is any bleeding in the eye, it can lead to floaters. Bleeding in the eye can be caused by various issues, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and injury.
• Aging. Getting older can cause the appearance of floaters. As you age, the vitreous can cause shadows on your eye, causing the floaters.
• Torn retina. A retinal tear can happen with the vitreous layer tugs on the retina. If this is not treated quickly, it can cause permanent vision loss.
• Eye medications. There are some medications that can be injected into the eye that will cause the floaters. This is because of the bubbles made when the injection happens.
• Eye surgery. If you have had eye surgery, you may have issues with eye floaters.

Generally, eye floaters need no treatment, but if there are underlying causes or the eye floaters are severe, there may be treatment needed. Possible treatments include:

• Underlying condition treatment. If the issue is due to inflammation, diabetes, or high blood pressure, when these are treated, the floaters go away.
• Surgery. In some cases, surgery will be needed to remove the vitreous layer. This will help to keep new floaters from forming.
• Laser treatment. If you have an issue with many floaters, you may consider getting laser treatment. This treatment can minimize the floaters quickly. In some cases, people see the complete removal of their floaters.

If you are seeing floaters in your vision, chances are they are harmless. However, if you are bothered by them, do not hesitate to make an appointment with your eye doctor. They can take a look at your eyes to ensure that there is nothing going on with them. If there is something going on that is causing the floaters, they can help you to alleviate them.