Eye floaters and what the reason behind it is.

[vs_292]

Hello all, this is my first question on MedHelp. I hope that this community might help me understand my problem better and the following post is quite a long one. I'm a 17 yr old from Bangalore, India. For the past 2-3 months I've been troubled by eye floaters. Let me explain everything from the time I got them.

Flashback to March of this year (2018), where I vaguely remember that an eyelash or two, each fell into both of the white parts of the eye. First time it happened, I flushed my eyes with water. I wasn't convinced that I was successful in removing the eyelash or not. So the next time it happened, I gently removed the eyelash from the down part of the white of the eye, and then washed my eye again. A few days later, my eye became red a few times (once near the black part of the eye), and one instance I remember, red eye streaks appeared in my left and right eye where it irritated me for quite a few min, which there wasn't before, and now those streaks are there permanently. (I wasn't sure if the above has any relation with eye floaters onset, but wanted to tell it anyway)
By the first week of April, I had two eye floaters in my left eye (let's call them floater A and floater B). They didn't trouble me much, so I didn't bother. Gradually, these floaters that were there, became more distinct. Now one of these floaters, floater A, had a brownish black dot and a cluster of floaters around it and it is present on the left upper corner of my vision field. It was the only one which irritated me at that time. I went to an ophthalmologist in April, and he told me there was no cause of concern, and he did a lamp test on my eye and said there was no problem with my eyes.

Fast forward to May of this year (2018), and my floaters have increased in my left eye and some transparent ones (ones which you only see under sunlight) have appeared in my right eye as well. Although the floaters in the right eye don't bother me that much as the ones in the left. By the end of May, the floater B has become distinct as well with the two brownish black spots and a cluster of stringy floaters around it, which is situated in the left lower corner of the vision field. By the end of May, I visited another ophthalmologist, who again said that I had no problem with my eyes, that these floaters could be ignored. I was okay with the solution of ignoring them at that time.

By June (right now), these floaters have increased in number, from what they were before. Floater B has become more distinct. And a couple of floaters have appeared as well, with some long ones, a few small clusters, black dots, and the floaters A and B have become more distinct and irritating. I visited two more ophthalmologists, one of them who told me I had a very slight case of dry eye in my right eye (which had no major floaters), so prescribed me eye drops (Sodium Hyaluronate and some sort of eye liner cream that I had to apply on the eyelashes, and also told me to soak a towel in moderately hot water and gently apply it on my eyes)  and the other ophthalmologist, told me there was no cause of worry or concern.

I have about 20 floaters now (if I really concentrate on a white background. Otherwise, I observe 3-4 only (The ones with dark brownish spots)). I guess. I did my vision test a couple of times, and I have no problem with vision and I've never worn glasses. Sometimes, I had eye pain, around the eye, with slight headaches. I also do have black spots in the white part of my eye (which have appeared recently or I've noticed them only very recently, but the latter feels implausible), so these black spots have something to do with my eye problems.

My vision isn't blurred or anything, and I've had no cloudy vision field. I also have a lot of eye sensitivity, especially in the mornings, which gradually reduces once I'm outside for quite a while, and none in the evenings or in the night. Also whenever I look at the sky, I see shimmers of light continuously moving. Sometimes I see after images (black when not blinking, but you can see them when you blink your eyes) of some object that isn't there, or sometimes when I see a bright source of light and after image of that source. Its not lightning streaks or flashes or whatever, like how they're described, but they last for around 2-3 minutes before disappearing or sometimes a few seconds.

Although all the ophthalmologists I've visited told me that I shouldn't worry, I believe I have some sort of issue or whatever, since I believe that at my age I really shouldn't observe floaters like I am, and floaters increasing in months (so imagine what would happen in years). And again clarifying, I do have transparent and non transparent floaters (brown-black dots), whereas the transparent ones don't appear most of the time, the non-transparent ones are impossible for me to ignore, as they keep floating in my field of vision and I have to keep rolling my eyes to move them. To all doctors, ophthalmologists and also the people who're suffering similar problems, could you give me a diagnosis based on the above, as to why I do have floaters at all? I had clear vision until the end of March, beginning of April this year.

I couldn't explain this much to all of the ophthalmologists I've met, only briefly, but here I can. Also, are there remedies I can use to reduce the onset of new floaters and make them less noticeable? I really want to know. I have to start college in around 2 months, and I do not want these floaters and eye problems to affect my studies. So please help me.

[collieman]

I had my floaters removed by replacing the vitreous in the eye with a saline solution.  I had to have a membrane peel so the vitreous was removed.

[MrPresley]

I would never opt for a floaters only vitrectomy(FOV) and like @collieman I have had a vitrectomy as part of an ERM peel. I feel the risk is too great to have it done electively, and having a vitrectomy virtually assures subsequent cataract development.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

The situation described by collieman is totally different from the situation  posted by vs292

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Welcome to the Medhelp.org website.  Use the search feature to read the many posts about floaters. They are ultra common and highly annoying to many people. You can also click on the active link on this page and go to my home page. I have several articles there about floaters and how much they bother people, especially people that are anxious, obscessive or depressed.  You have visited 4 different ophthalmologists who have found nothing serious in your eyes. It is highly unlikely you have anything wrong with your eyes.  At your age about 1 in 4 to 1 in 5 people have floaters, higher if you are myopic and wear glasses or contacts.  There is no practical way to remove floaters.  The best thing is to learn that they are common and normal for the great majority of people.   In the past vitrectomy has bee used to remove floaters.  that is expensive, dangerous, causes cataracts and often doesn't get all the floaters. There are a variety of laser treatments that have been developed. They don't work well.  Best for huge floaters like Weiss Rings. If you insist on spending more time and money in the ophthalmologists office see a eye MD ophthalmologist that specializes in retina/vitreous.

[vs_292]

Thank you Doctor for replying. I have kind of learnt to adjust and just ignore them, but I wanted to ask if the eyelash falling into the eye (as mentioned above in the post) could have some relation with some sort of irritation in the eye that led to the onset of eye floaters? Also, is there any cause of concern about the afterimages I see of any bright object or sometimes when there is none at all? I'm slightly worried, because I'm entering college after 1 month, so will it affect my studies? Also, will the floaters keep increasing and become more visible or will they ever settle down. Because the floaters A and B (as described in the post) are dark and keep whizzing in my field of vision, and they are the ones I'm unable to completely ignore. The other floaters I ignore most of the time.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

The eye lash in the eye would never cause a floater.  Many people describe floaters like seeing an eyelash that moves but again human eyelash cannot get in normal eye. Afterimages are normal. Read the section on wikepedia bout "entophtic phenomena" or entopic phenomena. The more you obsess on these these floaters the harder it will be for your brain to start ignoring them.  (neuroadaptation).  Larger floaters are harder to ignore than smaller ones and the closer the floater is to the retina the harder to ignore.

[vs_292]

Thank you Doctor once again. I'm relieved. Lastly, I wanted to ask whether the black spots on the white of my eye have to do anything with floaters at all? I have 5 spots on my left eye and 2 on my right. (which have appeared recently or I've noticed them only very recently, but the latter feels improbable)

[vs_292]

Also, Doctor, I have another issue, light sensitivity. When I get up in the mornings, I go outside, my eyes are quite sensitive to light. During morning and noon, I'm unable to go outside because my eyes become very sensitive until about 20 mins when they're used to it. During the evenings and night, there's no problem, since there's not much light. What can I do to reduce this problem? Any sort of home remedies would help. Also, any sort of activities or diet intake I must have to reduce the appearance of new floaters.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

So you have had several eye exams with no abnormalities.  And you are young. Do you wear glasses? If so you can get sunglasses or photochromic (e.g. Transition) that darken and lighten. If you do not wear prescription glasses you can get regular glasses and wear a hat with a wide brim outside.  In healthy eyes light sensitivity is usually cause by eye color (more common blue/gray/green and less common brown and more common large pupils instead of small pupils).  For extreme sensitive they have goggle type sun shields that we use they have side shields, top shields and are available in a variety of colors and shades of sun blocking (people often wear these after cataract surgery)

[vs_292]

Thank you Doctor. I do wear sunglasses when I go outside due to the light sensitivity.  But regular glasses, no. I did not face this issue of light sensitivity until the onset of floaters. Other than sunglasses, are there any exercises I can do to reduce this issue? Also, Doctor, what about the black spots on the white of the eye as mentioned above in the post? Does that have anything to do with floaters?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

No diet or exercise will help floaters. Spots on the white of the eye are not related to floaters. They are common especially in brown eyes and dark skin and are usually like freckles.

[vs_292]

Doctor, is there any other cause why the floaters would increase, if I have no problems with my eyes? Since mine are increasing from the time they appeared.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

I have just about exhausted what I can say. Floaters tend to increase over time. The more attention you pay to them the more you will be aware of them. Since you have 4 eye MDs look at your eye without finding any problem I suggest you move on and start dealing with your anxiety and obsession with floaters.  I would suggest if something changes dramatically or new symptoms appear you return to the eye MD you feel most comfortable with.    Would suggest you read also this article from my home page:  https://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/1648108/FLOATERS--THE-QUALITY-OF-LIFE-LATEST-INFORMATION    As I said I don't have any more to say.

[salman_123]

hello friend,
I am facing the same as of u. Before going to the opthalmologist i was just having floater only but after the pupil dilation light sensitivity and dry eyes symtoms worsen. But good thing is my eyes are improving day by day.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Answered your question on your other post just now