If you have floters in your eyes what does this mean?

Question

This is a genuine question and not a joke. Whats the importance of this condition? is it serious?

This is a genuine question and not a joke. Whats the importance of this condition? is it serious? I am only 20 and have had glasses since 97 so 9 years. I have also recently started wearing contacts. Its possibly i could have high bp aswel

Answer 1

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.

Floaters may look like specks, strands, webs or other shapes. Actually, what you are seeing are the shadows of floaters cast on the retina, the light-sensitive part of the eye.

Eye Floaters and Spots Symptoms and Signs
If a spot or shadowy shape passes in front of your field of vision or to the side, you are seeing a floater. Because they are inside your eye, they move with your eyes when you try to see them. You may also see flashes of light. These flashes occur more often in older people as the vitreous humor thickens and tugs on the light-sensitive retina. They may be a warning sign of a detached retina. Flashes also occur after a blow to the head, often called "seeing stars."

Some people experience flashes of light that appear as jagged lines or "heat waves" in both eyes, often lasting 10-20 minutes. These types of flashes are usually caused by a spasm of blood vessels in the brain, which is called a migraine. If a headache follows the flashes, it is called a migraine headache. However, jagged lines or "heat waves" can occur without a headache. In this case, the light flashes are called an ophthalmic migraine, or a migraine without a headache.

What Causes Eye Floaters and Spots?
For most people, floaters occur as they grow older. The vitreous humor thickens and clumps as we age, and floaters result from the clumped vitreous gel. Sometimes pregnant women see spots caused by little bits of protein trapped within the eye. Eye injury or breakdown of the vitreous humor may also cause spots and floaters.

When people reach middle age, the vitreous gel 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. It is a common cause of floaters, and it is more common for people who:

are nearsighted;
have undergone cataract operations;
have had YAG laser surgery of the eye;
have had inflammation inside the eye.

Treatment for Spots and Floaters
Most spots and eye floaters are merely annoying but harmless when they temporarily enter the field of vision, and many fade over time. People sometimes are interested in surgery to remove floaters, but doctors are willing to perform such surgery only in rare instances.

If you suddenly see new floaters, or eye floaters accompanied by flashes of light or peripheral vision loss, it could indicate serious conditions such as diabetic retinopathy; vascular abnormalities such as retinal hemorrhages or carotid artery disease, or the beginning of a retinal detachment. 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. You should see your eye doctor immediately

Answer 2

Ok, don't know the exact medical answer to this but I can give you an anecdotal one.

My husband has them, quite a lot of them he tells me....he spoke to a doctor about it years ago and was told they were small cells that detached from the inner surface of the eyeball and became suspended in the eyeball fluid.
They are very small but show up well because they are close to the retina and cast a shadow on to it.....the same as any small object can appear larger close up.
Of course they also stand out well on bright days and against bright backgrounds such as white walls for example.....he often comments on sunny days that they are still there.

I'm not aware of any "cure" for them, but the good news is he was told they were absolutely harmless and sometimes were even re-absorbed into the cell lining of the eyeball and so therefore disappeared.

That said, his have never done any such thing and he still has them.

Answer 3

Yes I have those floaters in my eyes to along with the Macaulay degeneration (right)eye -.glaucoma in the (left) eye.The floaters can be a pain in the butt, especially when I look strait out at something white.My Doctor seems to say not to worry about it there is nothing the can do for them. I have had the floaters for 10-12 yrs. the other things for 27yrs.

Answer 4

"Floaters" are bits of your macula, a part of your eye located in the back of your eye. I began having them about 10 years ago and saw an eye doctor back then. As you age, your macula degenerates (causing the disease "macular degeneration" sometimes), and pieces of it literally slough off. That's what you're seeing when you see the floaters.

If you're experiencing floaters, I would see a doctor. It's likely nothing, but macular degeneration can lead to blindness, so it's best to have it checked out anyway. They just drive me nuts - and recently mine have gotten worse :(

ADDED: It has nothing to do with astigmatism, although you can have astigmatism and floaters. But they're not related.

Answer 5

Possibly high blood pressure, I would make an appointment to get it checked and tell him why. There are many people who dont know they have high blood pressure by getting yurs checked you can sort out treatment if you need it. It is important you go as if unchecked it can lead to heart attacks or strokes. But medication can control it. Don`t panic I have been on medication for many years.

Answer 6

Generally people should not be to concerned about seeing floaters in their vision.

However a sudden increase in the numbers of floaters especially if you also see white flashing lights then you should consult an eye specialist doctor urgently.

Answer 7

have had them for years. Usually they are nothing to worry about. But perhaps best check with your optician or gp

Answer 8

Means you need to relieve your bladder

Answer 9

Your head is too far down the toilet

Answer 10

they wont do you any harm and soon go away