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    What Are Eye Floaters

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    Saravanan Thiruvalathaan
    Eye floaters are tiny specks or strings that float in one's field of vision. They are usually harmless and appear as black or gray dots, lines, or blobs that move with eye movements. Most commonly, eye floaters are caused by age-related changes to the vitreous humor inside the eye, which begins to liquefy and allows debris to float around. While usually just annoying, eye floaters could potentially signal more serious conditions if accompanied by flashes of light, vision loss, or eye pain, and should be evaluated by an eye care professional. In many cases, no treatment is needed for eye floaters unless they impair vision significantly. Some natural remedies like eye exercises, massages, and herbal teas may

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    What Are Eye Floaters

    Uploaded by

    Saravanan Thiruvalathaan
    213 views4 pages
    Eye floaters are tiny specks or strings that float in one's field of vision. They are usually harmless and appear as black or gray dots, lines, or blobs that move with eye movements. Most commonly, eye floaters are caused by age-related changes to the vitreous humor inside the eye, which begins to liquefy and allows debris to float around. While usually just annoying, eye floaters could potentially signal more serious conditions if accompanied by flashes of light, vision loss, or eye pain, and should be evaluated by an eye care professional. In many cases, no treatment is needed for eye floaters unless they impair vision significantly. Some natural remedies like eye exercises, massages, and herbal teas may

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    Eye floaters are tiny specks or strings that float in one's field of vision. They are usually harmless and appear as black or gray dots, lines, or blobs that move with eye movements. Most commonly, eye floaters are caused by age-related changes to the vitreous humor inside the eye, which begins to liquefy and allows debris to float around. While usually just annoying, eye floaters could potentially signal more serious conditions if accompanied by flashes of light, vision loss, or eye pain, and should be evaluated by an eye care professional. In many cases, no treatment is needed for eye floaters unless they impair vision significantly. Some natural remedies like eye exercises, massages, and herbal teas may

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    213 views4 pages

    What Are Eye Floaters

    Uploaded by

    Saravanan Thiruvalathaan
    Eye floaters are tiny specks or strings that float in one's field of vision. They are usually harmless and appear as black or gray dots, lines, or blobs that move with eye movements. Most commonly, eye floaters are caused by age-related changes to the vitreous humor inside the eye, which begins to liquefy and allows debris to float around. While usually just annoying, eye floaters could potentially signal more serious conditions if accompanied by flashes of light, vision loss, or eye pain, and should be evaluated by an eye care professional. In many cases, no treatment is needed for eye floaters unless they impair vision significantly. Some natural remedies like eye exercises, massages, and herbal teas may

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    of 4

    What Are Eye Floaters?

    Eye floaters are tiny specks or strings that float into your field of vision. While they may be a nuisance,
    eye floaters should not cause you any pain or discomfort.
    Eye floaters can appear as black or gray dots, lines, cobwebs, or blobs. Occasionally, a large floater may
    cast a shadow over your vision and cause a large, dark spot in your sight. Because the floaters are inside
    the fluid of your eye, they will move as your eyes move. If you try to look right at them, they will dart out
    of your vision.
    Eye floaters commonly appear when you stare at a bright, plain surface, such as the sky, a reflective
    object, or blank paper. Eye floaters may be present in only one eye, or they may be in both.
    What Causes Eye Floaters?
    Age-related changes to the eye are the most common cause of eye floaters. The cornea and lens at the
    front of the eye focus light onto the retina at the back of the eye. As the light passes from the front of the
    eye to the back, it passes through thevitreous humor, a jelly-like substance inside your eyeball.
    Changes to the vitreous humor can lead to eye floaters. The thick vitreous begins to liquefy with age (a
    process called vitreous syneresis), and the inside of the eyeball becomes crowded with debris and
    deposits. The microscopic fibers inside the vitreous begin to clump together. As they do, the debris can be
    caught in the path of the light as it passes through your eye. This will cast shadows on your retina, causing
    eye floaters.
    Less common causes of eye floaters include:

    eye injury: if the eye is hit by an object or damaged during an accident, you may experience more
    eye floaters
    nearsightedness: people who are nearsighted experience eye floaters more frequently. Vitreous
    syneresis also occurs at a faster pace in people who have nearsighted vision
    inflammation: swelling and inflammation in the eye, often caused by infection, can cause eye
    floaters
    deposits: crystal-like deposits may form in the vitreous and interfere with light passing from the
    front of the eye to the back
    diabetic retinopathy: diabetes can damage the blood vessels that lead to the retina. When those
    vessels become damaged, the retina may not be able to interpret the images and light hitting it
    intraocular tumors
    visual aura of a migraine headache
    Eye floaters are most common after age 50. By age 70, most people will have experienced eye floaters at
    least once in their lives. Babies are born with clear vitreous, so it is rare for children under the age of 16 to
    have eye floaters.
    When Are Eye Floaters an Emergency?
    Call your ophthalmologist or eye care provider immediately if you see eye floaters and:

    they begin occurring more frequently


    you also see flashes of light
    you lose your peripheral (side) vision
    you develop eye pain
    Combined with eye floaters, these symptoms may be a sign of more dangerous conditions.
    Vitreous Detachment.
    As the vitreous shrinks, it slowly pulls away from the retina. If it pulls away suddenly, it may become
    completely detached. You will likely see many new floaters all at once, but you are not likely to lose your
    vision because of the detachment.
    Vitreous Hemorrhage

    Bleeding in the eye, also known as a vitreous hemorrhage, can cause eye floaters. The bleeding may be
    caused by an infection, injury, or blood vessel leak.
    Retinal Tear
    As the vitreous turns to liquid, the sac of gel will begin to pull on the retina. Eventually the stress may be
    enough to tear the retina completely.
    Retinal Detachment
    If a retinal tear is not treated quickly, the retina can become detached and separate from the eye. This can
    lead to complete and permanent vision loss.
    How Are Eye Floaters Treated?
    Most eye floaters dont need any type of treatment. They are often only a nuisance in otherwise healthy
    people, and they rarely signal a larger, more serious problem. If a floater is temporarily obstructing your
    vision, roll your eyes from side to side and up and down to move the debris. As the fluid in your eye shifts,
    so will the floaters.
    However, eye floaters may begin to impair your vision, especially if the underlying condition worsens. The
    floaters may become so bothersome and numerous that you have difficulty seeing. If this occurs, in rare
    cases, your doctor may recommend treatment in the form of laser removal or surgery.
    In laser removal, your ophthalmologist uses a laser to break up the eye floaters and make them less
    noticeable in your vision. Laser removal is not widely used because it is considered experimental and
    somewhat dangerous by many eye doctors.
    Another treatment option is surgery. Your ophthalmologist can remove the vitreous during
    a vitrectomy and replace it with a sterile salt solution that will help the eye maintain its natural shape.
    Over time, your body will replace the solution with its own natural fluid. A vitrectomy may not remove all
    the eye floaters, and it will also not prevent new eye floaters from developing. This procedure, which is
    also considered highly risky, can cause damage or tears to the retina and bleeding.
    What Happens If Eye Floaters Are Not Treated?
    Eye floaters are rarely troublesome enough to cause additional problems, unless they are a symptom of a
    more serious condition. Though they will never fully disappear, they often improve over the course of a few
    weeks or months.
    How Can You Prevent Eye Floaters?
    Most eye floaters occur as part of the natural aging process. While you cannot prevent eye floaters, you
    can make sure they are not the result of a larger problem. As soon as you begin noticing eye floaters, see
    your ophthalmologist. He or she will want to make sure your eye floaters are not a symptom of a more
    serious condition that could eventually jeopardize your vision entirely.

    Written by Kimberly Holland


    Medically Reviewed by George Krucik, MD
    Article Sources:
    Eye floaters (2012, Jan 24). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved July 9, 2012,
    fromhttp://www.mayoclinic.com/health/eye-floaters/DS01036/
    Eye floaters (2011, Oct 22). National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. Retrieved
    July 9, 2012, fromhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002085.htm
    Floaters and flashes (2007, Nov 22). University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center. Retrieved July 9,
    2012, fromhttp://www.kellogg.umich.edu/patientcare/conditions/floaters.html
    Facts about floaters (2009, October). National Eye Institute. Retrieved July 9, 2012,
    from http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/floaters/floaters.asp#1

    Eye floaters are specs or gel like fluid that surrounds your eyes along with the
    movement of the eye balls. In general eye floaters are not harmful. They are annoying at
    times. They appear like small dots or they are like insects flying around your eyes.
    They become more obvious when you see the sky, computer monitor or any light colored
    surface. For many people they remain for more than a decade.Most people feel them as they
    grow older. When they have a cataract surgery at that time they can develop floaters.
    Diabetic patients are at a higher risk of developing eye floaters.In shortsighted individuals
    when there is a variation in the eye vision power a vitreous fluid is formed in the eye and in some
    individuals the fluid dissolves but for some people the fluid forms as a gel and rotates around the
    eye.
    It is common in pregnant women when protein is seen in form of bits in the eyes.Some
    floaters are caused during the child birth. Some cells are formed in the vitreous humor which
    forms into a liquid in the later stage of life.
    Eye Floaters Natural Treatment
    When you discuss this problem with your doctor he may prescribe some eye drops that
    are formulated with omega fatty acids. But for eye floaters natural cure is the best remedy.
    There are many natural treatments available which can be done at home in an easier way.
    Focus An Object
    Hold a pen or a pencil in your hand in front of your face and keep your arms straight. Now
    focus on the pencil lid and now slowly bring your pencil six inches ahead of you and again focus
    the pencil lid. Repeat this process ten times a day.
    Organic Fruit Juices
    Drink a lot of organic fruit juices. Garlic, beetroots, thyme, carrots, apple, parsnip,
    raspberries, celery are good natural remedies to cure floaters.
    Herbal Tea
    Herbal tea is a well known natural cure for eye floaters. You can consume them instead of
    milk, coffee, tea and alcohol.
    Palming Practice
    Warm your eyes with the palms. Rub the palms before placing them in the eyes. Place the
    palm in the eyes for 10 seconds. Repeat this process for 5 times a day.

    Eye Exercise
    Take your head back seeing the ceiling and rotate your eye balls in the clockwise direction,
    repeat the process in the counter clockwise direction also. It is highly recommended that you
    move your eyeballs slowly. Repeat the process for 10 times daily in both the directions.
    Yoga Exercises
    Yoga exercises for eyes are the excellent remedy to get rid of the stress in the eyes.
    Massage
    Gently massage the forehead area between the temples and eyebrows slowly in both the
    directions. Repeat this process for 20 times daily. This is considered as the best natural cure for
    eye floaters.
    If you practice the above said methods then you may feel that there is a considerable amount of
    reduction in the floaters that is formed in the eyes.

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