Laser Eye Surgery - Ohio - Greater Ohio Eye Surgeons, Inc.

Floaters

Almost everyone has seen them, at one time or another…small spots before our eyes. We describe them as specks, strands, cobwebs…even flies or bugs. They're called FLOATERS, and they look so real that we try to brush them away or rub our eyes as they move across our field of vision. Floaters are most apparent when we're reading, looking at a plain, light-colored wall or gazing at the sky. At first, it can be annoying when we can't blink, rub or brush then away. But, no matter what we do, they just continue to float…seemingly right in front of our eyes.

Actually, the floater is inside our eye. It's usually a small clump that has broken away form the edge of the clear, jelly-like substance called VITREOUS that fills the inside of our eyes. When we're young, this vitreous has the consistency of firm, clear Jell-O: but as we age, the Jell-O turns into Jell-Y and begins to soften and shrink. Then, tiny clumps or strands break off and "float". Then, we begin to notice spots before our eyes.

While normal aging is the most common cause of floaters, they can also occur in younger, nearsighted people; they can show up after cataract or YAG laser surgery, result from trauma or inflammation inside the eye.

Normally, floaters are merely small annoyances requiring no special treatment. As time goes by, we adjust to them, actually look through them and rarely notice them. However, a sudden shower of floaters (more than you can count) accompanied by flashes of light signals a serious problem in the back of the eye. This could be a broken blood vessel or a torn or detached RETINA…the extremely delicate lining in the back of our eye that enables us to form images from light rays.

Our doctors remind you that the sudden onset of floaters, with or without light flashes, should be considered an eye emergency. We recommend that you consult an eye doctor immediately. Only a dilated eye exam by an eye specialist can determine the difference between a harmless floater or a serious eye problem that may require immediate surgery.