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Why am I rapidly developing floaters in both eyes?

I'm a 24 yr old Male who has always had naturally dry eyes and slight nearsightedness in one eye, but all in all my vision has been great. About three weeks ago I noticed a floater in my vision, this was nothing new, I'd seen them before, but unlike before this one wouldn't go away. Fast forward a week I have two in my left and and one in my right. This has been developing more and more until now I have a virtual sea of floaters in both eyes, to many to count. Some are stringy, some are tiny circles with dots in the middle, mostly clear or shades of grayish black. My vision has been getting blurrier as well. I've seen two eye doctors, they cofirmed I dont have detaching retinas, but they voiced some concern I might have glaucoma,  as they thought my cornea looked a little odd, but said it could just be naturally that way. I've read that glucomia doesn't cause floaters. I'm waiting i
On my glucoma testing and I'm puzzled what is causing the mass increase in floaters and blurriness, and anxious as to whether it will stop. Could psychological stress and anxiety be an indirect cause of floaters and blurry vision? I've been very, very stressed for a few months now.
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Avatar universal
Six months before my retina detached I started seeing a mass of floaters.  I often thought they were gnats and I was constantly "swiping" at the air to get rid of these imaginary flies.  I went to an optometrist who said the back of my retina looked fine but that I'd should be alert to flashes of light and/or a black curtain coming down in my sight line.  I wish I'd gone to the ophthalmologist (MD) because maybe they would have seen something sooner (like the start of a tear).  Anyway, one weekend I noticed a piece of my vision missing.  It looked like a black blob in the corner of my eye.  My retina had detached.  I'm lucky that it was repaired with a vitrectomy (emergency eye surgery).  Very lucky.  Make sure, as Dr. Hagen suggests, you've seen an ophthalmologist.  And stay alert to flashes of light or missing pieces of vision.  
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8 Comments
Thanks for sharing. I think this poster needs to see retina specialist ASAP
Agree!
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Okay... I'm not sure how to figure out if they're MD or not. About a week after I started seeing them I went to the walk in clinic that doctor there was concerned about retinal tears and referred me to a local eye clinic where I was seen the same day. I had eye pressure testing, and detailed photographs taken of the inside of my eye - I had a few floaters then which she didnt seen concerned about, but stated one of my corneas looked odd and recommended testing. A week later I had a significant larger amount if floaters and went to see an eye doctor with the Ophthalmology department for Dartmouth hitchcock because my follow up for the first doctor was a month away, this doctor check every corner of my eye with a scope and bright light and said I was clear of tearing and recommended I go back to the other doctor to complete my glaucoma testing. He brushed off the floaters and said they were probably fine.
Currently I'm a month out from my next appointment trying to get it pushed up sooner, and even though I went from no floaters and good vision to mildly blurred vision and to many foatters to count in just three weeks no doctors seem that concerned about it. They just get stuck on the glaucoma,  (which I agree is serious and should be checked out) and seem to brush off my rapidly deteriating vision.
Sorry to write a book. Could this be an optic nerve inflammation bossibly spread from an existing infection? I have been significantly run down and totally exhausted over the past few months and cant shake it.
One question I'd add is what's the significance  of both my eyes being effected at the same time? Would that point to infection? It seems to me that the chances of retinal tears starting in both eyes on the same day seems very unlikely.
The fourth line still has an error it was not your corneas that looked odd it was your optic nerve, I said I'm sure you have a large cup to disk ratio. yes it would very unusual for floaters to start in both eyes at the same time.  It it was obvious the ophthalmologist at Dartmouth should be able to diagnose. time to move further up the diagnostic change to retina eye MD.  If you are schedule to see a retina Eye MD you can call and tell them the floaters are much worse, that you consider this an emergency and ask for an emergency exam this coming week.
Okay, I'll do what I can, thanks for your time.
Let us know how this all turns out
177275 tn?1511755244
It's not so much the floaters that are concerning it's that you described them as 'too many to count" that is a description often used when the retina tears and there is bleeding in the eye or inflammatory cells.  You should find out FOR SURE whether they were eye MD or OD non physicians.     The glaucoma thing, likely you have a large cup to disk ratio which is something to note when you see Eye doctors in future but it doesn't necessarily mean you have glaucoma and would not cause floaters.
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177275 tn?1511755244
The floaters would not be related to glaucoma.  When you say "eye doctors" you are talking about a variable amount of training and expertise. Hopefully you have seen eye MD ophthalmologists instead of non-MD optometrists. If you have not seen an Eye MD you need to see one as soon as possible. If you did see one or two Eye MD I would suggest seeing an Eye MD that specializes in Retina & Vitreous disease. Your description of your floaters is worrisome.  stress does not cause floaters or everyone in the world would have floaters.
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3 Comments
I believe they were MD... it was odd, neither of the seemed terribly concerned by the floaters, just wanted to check for glaucoma. Possibly a retinal inflammatory  disease?
I feel kinda stupid, it was the optic nerve they said looked odd, not the retina.
I don't know where you live, but see if you can find a retina specialist or get a third opinion and confirm its from an eye MD opthalmologist.  What you are describing, increasing floaters, decreasing vision, could be very serious and result in blindness if not treated immediately.  I have been there -- twice, once in each eye.   Luckily my vision was able to be saved by the miracle of good retina MD, and modern medicine.  Call or get in somewhere NOW.  Good luck.
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177275 tn?1511755244
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