R: floaters

[Guest guest]

On the subject of 'floaters'

Most of these are benign and need no treatment, although any sudden change

in vision should be checked out, as it may be associated with retinal

problems. I have been told that (at least some) floaters result from the

contraction of capillaries in the eye after birth. In the womb, blood

vessels carry oxygen to the cornea, but after birth, oxygen diffuses in from

the surrounding air. I don't know if this is correct, but the idea seems to

be that 'floaters' are the remnants of these fetal blood vessels!

The following is the best description I came across in a quick websearch:

What Exactly are Floaters?

By Alan Lacoste, M.D., FACS

You may sometimes see small specks or clouds moving in your field of vision.

They are called floaters. You can often see them when looking at a plain

background, like a blank wall or blue sky. Floaters are actually tiny clumps

of gel or cells inside the vitreous, the clear jelly-like fluid that fills

the inside of your eye. While these objects look like they are in front of

your eye, they are actually floating inside. What you see are the shadows

they cast on the retina, the nerve layer at the back of the eye that senses

light and allows you to see. Floaters can have different shapes: little

dots, circles, lines, clouds or cobwebs.

Floaters usually occur after middle age. The vitreous gel which fills the

eye may start to thicken, or shrink, forming clumps or strands inside the

eye. The vitreous gel pulls away from the back wall of the eye, causing a

posterior vitreous detachment, the most common cause of floaters. Posterior

vitreous detachment occurs more often in people who:

· are nearsighted;

· have undergone cataract operations;

· have had YAG laser surgery of the eye;

· have had inflammation inside the eye.

The appearance of floaters may be alarming, especially if they develop

suddenly. You should see an ophthalmologist (a medical eye doctor) right

away if you suddenly develop new floaters, especially if you are over 45

years of age.

In some cases, floaters can indicate a serious problem. The retina can tear

if the shrinking vitreous gel pulls away from the wall of the eye. This

sometimes causes a small amount of bleeding in the eye that may appear as

new floaters. A torn retina is always a serious problem, since it can lead

to a retinal detachment. You should see your eye doctor as soon as possible

if:

· even one new floater appears suddenly;

· you see sudden flashes of light;

· you notice the loss of side vision.

Medical treatment is not usually required for floaters, unless they involve

damage to the retina as mentioned above. The appearance of floaters can get

in the way of clear vision, which may be quite annoying, especially if you

are trying to read. You can try moving your eyes, looking up and then down

to move the floaters out of the way. While some floaters may remain in your

vision, many of them will fade over time and become less bothersome. Even if

you have had some floaters for years, you should have an eye examination

immediately if you notice new ones.