Eye Floaters – What You Need To Know

1. Eye Floaters – What You Need To Know Eye floaters often appear as small spots that make their way through your field of vision. They often stand out when looking at something bright, such as the white of a computer screen or the brightness of the sky on a sunny day. They shouldn't interfere with your sight, but they can be irritating and frustrating. It's not uncommon for patients with a large floater to find that it shades their vision when in certain light. Most patients learn to live with and ignore their floaters. Over time you notice them less and these patients don't often require surgery. Floaters are spots or cobwebs that move around your eye, darting away when you try and focus on them. They can look like wavy lines, black or grey dots, strands with bobbles, cobwebs, rings, and more. The most common cause of floaters is age. They are small flecks of collagen, forming part of the vitreous gel, which is a substance at the back of the eye, giving your eye its shape. Protein fibers shrink as we age and tend to clump together. They break away and start floating around the eye. If you do see a flash, this is caused by the vitreous pulling away from the retina and this means you need to see your retina surgeon as quickly as possible. Floaters can happen at any age but are most common in adults aged fifty to seventy-five. Those with near-sightedness or those that have already had cataract surgery have an increased risk of floaters. In very rare cases, floaters can be a result of eye injury, eye diseases, diabetic retinopathy, eye tumors, and deposits forming on the vitreous. The serious eye conditions that cause eye floaters include a torn retina, detached retina, vitreous bleeding, inflamed vitreous, eye tumors, and more. If you have eye floaters that have remained the same for a long period, then you don't need to be concerned. As mentioned above, most patients learn to live comfortably with their eye floaters and never require any surgical interventions. You only need to worry about yourself and seek urgent treatment from an eye surgeon if there is a sudden increase in the number of floaters, you lose your peripheral vision or you see flashes of light. These changes will come quickly and worsen over time. You must also call your doctor if you have floaters after eye trauma or surgery or if they are accompanied by pain.

2. Generally, most patients go untreated for floaters as long as it doesn't interfere with their quality of life, shadowing their vision. If you find them annoying and cannot get them out of your field of vision, then you may need to seek medical treatment. You can try moving your eyes up and down rather than side to side, which makes the fluid move so you can see with ease again. If you have many floaters blocking your vision, you may be advised you should have a vitrectomy. This is a surgical procedure that removes the vitreous gel, replacing it with a solution to give your eye its shape. This is a common surgery, performed as a day case, enabling you to return home for recovery. You may also be recommended to have a vitrectomy if your floaters are bad and are increasing your risk of a detached retina. Ensure you discuss all your options with your surgeon before making a final decision. About Us: Mahi Muqit is a leading consultant ophthalmologist, cataract and vitreoretinal surgeon at two private clinics in London, United Kingdom. He provides patients with superior service and support with a range of surgical procedures to meet their eyesight requirements. He has built up a solid reputation for his eye services in the London area as an expert eye doctor and surgeon offering surgical retina, medical retina, and complex cataract surgery. He also offers surgery to patients suffering from diabetic retinopathy. Mahi Muqit is a member of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, a member of the British and Eire Association of Vitreoretinal Surgeons, and the UK and Ireland Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons. To find out more, visit https://www.retinasurgeon.uk.