EYE FLOATERS. What are they?
Floaters are spots in vision that look like black or gray specks or strings that drift across the eyes. The jelly-like substance (vitreous) inside our eyes becomes more liquid. Microscopic fibers within the vitreous tend to clump and can cast tiny shadows on the retina, causing shadows to be seen which are called floaters.
If you notice a sudden increase in eye floaters, Contact one of our Doctors immediately — especially if you also see light flashes or lose your peripheral vision. These can be symptoms of an emergency that requires prompt attention.So~~ I experienced my first floater about a year and a half ago. It was a very weird feeling — mine are like strings, or cobwebs that drifted about whenever I moved my eyes and appeared to dart away when I tried to look at them directly. So~~ Dr. Korthals examined my eyes and he told me that the floaters that I had were harmless and I would adapt, which did happen so I only occasionally noticed them.
Then~~ last Monday morning, I experienced a sudden onset of many floaters, so Dr. Mueller had the tech do the Optomap, examined my eyes and told me the same thing that Dr. Korthals did: mine are just ‘normal’ floaters not accompanied by other symptoms and I will adapt.
SEE THE DOCTOR: If a sudden onset of floaters are accompanied by flashes of light or vision loss, if you have pain or you have just experienced eye surgery or trauma, floaters could indicate a serious eye problem that requires immediate medical attention. If this happens call our office immediately at 763-415-0622.
In most cases, floaters can be part of the natural aging process, or caused by lack of sleep, rubbing the eyes, over use of alcohol, dehydration, and stress and are simply an annoyance. They can be distracting at first, but eventually tend to “settle” at the bottom of the eye, becoming less bothersome. They usually settle below the line of sight and do not go away completely.
