Symptoms of eye floaters may include:
* Spots in your vision that may look like dark specks or knobby, transparent strings of floating material
* Spots that move when you move your eyes, so when you try to look at them, they move quickly out of your visual field
* Spots that are most noticeable when you look at a plain bright background, such as a blue sky or a white wall
* Spots that eventually settle down and drift out of the line of vision.
WHEN DO FLOATERS BECOME A CAUSE FOR ALARM?
Floaters are usually harmless, but they can be a warning sign of trouble in the eye, especially when they suddenly begin to appear in increasing numbers.
It is advised to contact an eye specialist promptly if you notice:
* Many more eye floaters than usual
* A sudden onset of new floaters
* Flashes of light
* Darkness on the sides of your vision (peripheral vision loss).
Serious eye disorders associated with eye floaters include: retinal detachment, retinal tear, vitreous hemorrhage (bleeding), vitreous and retinal inflammation caused by viral infections, fungal infections, or auto-immune inflammation, eye tumors. In addition, a unique form of eye floaters is associated with the visual aura of migraine headaches.
TREATMENT OF FLOATERS.
It is very important to note that floaters cannot be prevented because they are part of the natural ageing process.
In most cases, eye floaters don't require treatment. With time, you may find you can ignore the floaters more easily and that you notice the floaters less often.
But when floaters get to the point of posing harm on eyesight doctors are willing to perform surgery which occurs only in rare instances.
Major medical procedures include:
* Using a laser to dissolve floaters. During laser therapy, an ophthalmologist aims a special laser at the floaters in the vitreous. The laser may break up the floaters and make them less noticeable. Some people who undergo laser therapy for their floaters report improved vision, while others notice little or no difference. Risks of laser therapy include damage to your retina that can occur if the laser is pointed incorrectly. Laser surgery to treat floaters is considered experimental and isn't widely used.
* Using surgery to remove the vitreous. During a vitrectomy procedure, an ophthalmologist makes a small incision in your eye and removes the gel-like vitreous. A solution is placed in the eye to help it maintain its shape. Eventually, your body makes and fills your eye with fluid that will replace the solution. Vitrectomy may not remove all the floaters in your vision, and new floaters can develop after surgery. Risks of vitrectomy include bleeding and retinal tears.
NOTE: Using eye drops or similar types of medication will not make floaters disappear. If you suddenly see new floaters, visit your eye doctor immediately.
REFERENCES
WIKIPEDIA
NHS Choices
WebMD
MAYOCLINIC
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