People often ask, “What are floaters?” Most people have floaters and do notice them on occasion. They look like little shadows or spots, or sometimes cobwebs, that move with our eyes but do not stay in the same spot. They “float” around or drift around even when our eyes stop moving.
Usually floaters are a normal part of the aging changes of our eyes. They never completely disappear from our eyes but over time they may settle or move out of the path of our vision. Usually people will notice floaters if they are looking at a light colored background like a white wall or the blue sky. Sometimes floaters may be extremely distracting. Most of the time, patients learn to ignore floaters.
Floaters can occur in patients following ocular surgeries such as cataract surgery or LASIK surgery. Floaters can also be a sign of more serious problems such as retinal tears or retinal detachment. Optometrists will ask if you see flashes of light or an increase in floaters or see a curtain coming down over your vision. These symptoms could be the early warning signs to warrant an immediate dilated eye exam to determine the cause of the flashes or the floaters.
Our eye is made of a jelly-like substance called the Vitreous Humor. As we age the vitreous coalesces and shrinks. It forms tiny areas of thickened tissue that cast shadows onto the retina. These thick areas of vitreous will float around or shift around in our eyes as we move our eyes around. So in actuality, we are only seeing shadows of our vitreous.
However, if the vitreous pulls away from the retina we may see more floaters or even flashes when this is occurring. If a portion of the retina gets pulled away with the vitreous it can create a hole or a tear. This hole or tear can fill with fluid and lead to a retinal detachment. This is why it is very important that we have routine eye examinations and dilations to evaluate our eyes to rule out any holes, tears or detachments of the retina. A few old floaters are usually benign.
If you see flashes or an increase in floaters or a curtain coming over your vision, you need to be examined and have your eyes dilated immediately. These symptoms could be a potential side effect of a retinal detachment and should be considered an emergency. Do not ignore them if you are having any new symptoms. A retinal detachment can lead to loss of vision or even blindness if left untreated and a small hole or tear can be treated rather easily by a proper retinal surgeon.
Feel free to call 20/20 Optometric Eye Care if you have any questions at 661-287-3939.