Eye floater

[Bluside]

Out of the blue, I developed a floater in my right eye. Scared me pretty good and I made an appointment with my eye doc that did my cataract surgery last year.

After an extensive exam, my doctor confirmed it's just a floater and nothing in my eye was damaged. Nothing to really worry about and no real need to do anything now.

This thing is driving me crazy. It's just a big blurry blob that just moves around my eye when I look in different directions.

Anyone have one that can give any advice? Will it go away or at least be less noticeable?

[Chewbacca]

I have no idea what this is but I’m calling my team at Mayo now about it.

[Boothroyd]

I have had cataract surgery, but suffered from floaters previously. Eye strain is a contributing factor to experiencing symptoms. Rest helps. Nothing you can do about them (without a major procedure), but they are much worse when tired, stressed, etc. in my experience.

Frustrating, in that I am 20/15 after surgery, but the floaters counteract that somewhat.

And for Chewy, here is what Mayo says: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...s/syc-20372346

[Maleg]

I’ve never had surgery and have had them since my teens. My eye doctor many years ago said they were normal. They come and go for me. Recently, a lot of driving or a lack of sleep precipitate them.

They usually settle in a couple hours for me. Occasionally lasting all day.

[East Bay Rider]

Thankfully I don't get them often but when I do it precedes a migrane headache.

[Chewbacca]

Originally Posted by Boothroyd

I have had cataract surgery, but suffered from floaters previously. Eye strain is a contributing factor to experiencing symptoms. Rest helps. Nothing you can do about them (without a major procedure), but they are much worse when tired, stressed, etc. in my experience.

Frustrating, in that I am 20/15 after surgery, but the floaters counteract that somewhat.

And for Chewy, here is what Mayo says: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...s/syc-20372346

Thank you

I hope you all stay healthy. Thanks for sharing Blu.

[Krash]

Originally Posted by Bluside

Out of the blue, I developed a floater in my right eye. Scared me pretty good and I made an appointment with my eye doc that did my cataract surgery last year.

After an extensive exam, my doctor confirmed it's just a floater and nothing in my eye was damaged. Nothing to really worry about and no real need to do anything now.

This thing is driving me crazy. It's just a big blurry blob that just moves around my eye when I look in different directions.

Anyone have one that can give any advice? Will it go away or at least be less noticeable?

A couple years back, I suddenly developed several floaters in my eyes. It was really bothersome. I’m not talking about one or two, it was multiple.

I went to the eye doctor too and they said the same thing. Nothing wrong and they should just fade away over time, and that’s exactly what happened. I don’t notice them at all anymore.


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[minute_man]

I've been noticing floaters in my eyes since I was 8. As others pointed out, nothing to worry about.

[SearChart]

I've got quite a few of them in my right eye, some are definitely annoying and 'detailed'. It used to bother me a lot when I developed them and now I hardly notice them.

[Bluside]

Thanks for all the responses.

Looking forward to them settling down. I was so proud of my eyes after my cataract surgery. It was as if Amazon delivered this old guy brand new eyeballs.

Then this happened.

[S’portEye]

This is a normal change as the eye ages. The vitreous “jelly” in the back of the eye pulls forward from the retina and the resulting floater (vitreous strands) casts a shadow that you are seeing. They tend to get better with time due to 2 factors: 1. Sometimes they move more anterior (further from the retina) causing less shadows 2. Neuroadaption (your brain gets used to it).

Always call your doctor if the floaters worsen, if you start to see flashing lights, or if you develop a dark spot in your peripheral vision.

These can sometimes be treated with a laser or with a surgery called a vitrectomy. The laser can work well in certain patients, but is far from a definitive cure. The vitrectomy is completely curative, but carries more risk and is generally frowned upon by most surgeons except in certain instances.

Luckily, most people adapt to them very well, and we just observe them for changes.

Hope this helps.

[Bluside]

Originally Posted by S’portEye

This is a normal change as the eye ages. The vitreous “jelly” in the back of the eye pulls forward from the retina and the resulting floater (vitreous strands) casts a shadow that you are seeing. They tend to get better with time due to 2 factors: 1. Sometimes they move more anterior (further from the retina) causing less shadows 2. Neuroadaption (your brain gets used to it).

Always call your doctor if the floaters worsen, if you start to see flashing lights, or if you develop a dark spot in your peripheral vision.

These can sometimes be treated with a laser or with a surgery called a vitrectomy. The laser can work well in certain patients, but is far from a definitive cure. The vitrectomy is completely curative, but carries more risk and is generally frowned upon by most surgeons except in certain instances.

Luckily, most people adapt to them very well, and we just observe them for changes.

Hope this helps.

Great post. Thanks.

[Pw92676]

Originally Posted by S’portEye

This is a normal change as the eye ages. The vitreous “jelly” in the back of the eye pulls forward from the retina and the resulting floater (vitreous strands) casts a shadow that you are seeing. They tend to get better with time due to 2 factors: 1. Sometimes they move more anterior (further from the retina) causing less shadows 2. Neuroadaption (your brain gets used to it).

Always call your doctor if the floaters worsen, if you start to see flashing lights, or if you develop a dark spot in your peripheral vision.

These can sometimes be treated with a laser or with a surgery called a vitrectomy. The laser can work well in certain patients, but is far from a definitive cure. The vitrectomy is completely curative, but carries more risk and is generally frowned upon by most surgeons except in certain instances.

Luckily, most people adapt to them very well, and we just observe them for changes.

Hope this helps.

Excellent description!

I would recommend vitrectomy, in trained hands of course, wholeheartedly over laser vitreolysis procedure.
OP if you have any concerns shoot me a PM.

[Bluside]

Originally Posted by Pw92676

Excellent description!

I would recommend vitrectomy, in trained hands of course, wholeheartedly over laser vitreolysis procedure.
OP if you have any concerns shoot me a PM.

Thanks. I will hang onto this.

[joeychitwood]

I’ve had posterior vitreous detachment in both eyes over the past five years after noting flashes in my peripheral vision. Initially, it was very annoying. I found that I could move the floaters out of my line of vision with various eye movements. As mentioned, the brain eventually adjusts and “ignores” much of the floater annoyance.

I have a friend who had vitrectomy. She had to lie face down on a massage table for days after the surgery, and said the recovery, though not painful was very difficult. I saw an eye surgeon who recommended against vitrectomy. Most day now, I don’t really think bout the flowers.

[Calatrava r]

I have had floaters and they happen as the docs said. I am told it is just the back of the eye drying out and pieces flake off. The good news is they become far less annoying over time. However, you will notice them when you look up at a clear blue sky, so they stay around. Can be annoying in golf to be sure, even if you do not see them otherwise.

[Dan Pierce]

I've developed floaters the last couple of years that look like fogged glasses when you wear a mask. Like most things of late I've experienced the DR's response "it's due to age and there's nothing we can do about it." Getting real tired of that diagnosis.
dP

[Blansky]

I have them as well and the one in the right eye is larger and more irritating.

I get my eyes checked every year and the response is "getting old sucks".

I'm not so sure they fade away, I think you sort of get used to them. Or not.

[Cliffnopus]

Floaters are normal. Almost everybody has them or WILL have them. After a while, you don't even notice them. YMMV.

[tifosi]

Floaters here as well. I always assumed that everyone had them. Never thought to ask my dr about it. Haha.

[McLovin]

Sounds like you’re past the typical age to get diagnosed with MS. But that is one of the symptoms, among many others.

[Gab27]

FWIW, I had SMILE surgery and a few months afterwards my floaters worsened, with one that drove me nuts. I immediately thought perhaps it was a retinal detachment but, alas, it was just floaters. I think there are some similarities between the two with respect to the lasers used to cut the eye and I guess sometimes these surgeries can result in the floaters getting dislodged or maybe just becoming more noticeable after?

Over the course of about three months, they either, A) got better (which supposedly is rare), B) they shifted or my brain adapted to them so that they appeared to have gotten much better (supposedly more common), or C) perhaps both A and B. I can still see little specks here and there on sunny days, but it's pretty minimal. So, I am hopeful it will also improve for you over time.

According to my eye doctor, if tons of floaters appear out of nowhere and especially if it is combined with flashes of light or notable changes in vision, then it's an emergency and treatment should not be delayed in the least.

[RichardBartlett]

Originally Posted by minute_man

I've been noticing floaters in my eyes since I was 8. As others pointed out, nothing to worry about.

I had them from an early age but don't seem to suffer these days..

[Krash]

Originally Posted by Gab27

According to my eye doctor, if tons of floaters appear out of nowhere and especially if it is combined with flashes of light or notable changes in vision, then it's an emergency and treatment should not be delayed in the least.

This is exactly what happened to me a few years ago, however, my eye doctors insisted there was nothing wrong and nothing to worry about.

However, at around the same time, my cardiologist determined that my defective heart valve—that I was born with—went from not being a big issue to something that needed to be surgically repaired ASAP. So I had open heart surgery to repair my defective valve.

I have no way to prove this, but I feel like when my floaters and the flashes of light started to appear, that was the exact same time my defective heart valve went from being a minor issue to a severe issue that requires surgery. I didn't mention this in my post above because I just have no way to prove it's connected, but I have a strong gut reaction they're related.

Right now, no floaters or eye issues at all, and they extended my life expectancy by 25 years after fixing my defective heart valve.


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[Shadow Play]

Yes, I have floaters as well. Only time I really notice them now is in a light coloured room. One of my bathrooms is tiled white. Much more noticeable when I’m in that room.

[Gab27]

Originally Posted by Krash

This is exactly what happened to me a few years ago, however, my eye doctors insisted there was nothing wrong and nothing to worry about.

However, at around the same time, my cardiologist determined that my defective heart valve—that I was born with—went from not being a big issue to something that needed to be surgically repaired ASAP. So I had open heart surgery to repair my defective valve.

I have no way to prove this, but I feel like when my floaters and the flashes of light started to appear, that was the exact same time my defective heart valve went from being a minor issue to a severe issue that requires surgery. I didn't mention this in my post above because I just have no way to prove it's connected, but I have a strong gut reaction they're related.

Right now, no floaters or eye issues at all, and they extended my life expectancy by 25 years after fixing my defective heart valve.


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That had to be a horrifying ordeal--anything involving the heart is a bit terrifying. I am glad to hear they successfully fixed it. I could definitely see it being related.