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Home > Eye floaters – Symptoms and causes

Eye floaters – Symptoms and causes

Eye floaters are spots that appear in your eye. They could appear like gray or black strings, specks, or cobwebs. They could drift away as you look around. They appear to move away when you observe them in a direct way.

Eye floaters can be result of age-related changes. These changes happen when gel-like substances (vitreous) within the eyes becomes liquified and expands. The collagen fibers are scattered in clumps that are formed within the vitreous and may cast tiny shadows onto the retina. The shadows that you see are called floating shadows.

If you notice an abrupt rise in eye floaters consult an eye doctor immediately and especially if you notice flashes of light or losing your vision. This could be a sign of an emergency and require immediate attention.

The signs

Eye floater symptoms could be:

The tiny shapes you see which appear like dark specks or translucent string of suspended material
Spots that shift when the eyes move which means that when you attempt to focus on them, they swiftly move away from your vision
Spots that can be seen are those that you see on the background of a simple and bright, like blue sky or white walls
Smaller shapes or strings which eventually settle and then drift away from the view of

When should you see a doctor?

Consult an eye specialist right away If you observe:

Eye floaters are more numerous than normal
A sudden appearance of new floating floaters
Flashes of light within the same eye as floating eyes.
A blurry or gray space that blocks part of your vision
Darkness on one or both the sides or sides (peripheral visual loss)

These symptoms of pain can be caused by retinal tears, either that is, or without retinal detached. It is a condition that can cause blindness which requires immediate attention.

The Reasons

Eye floaters could be the result of changes in the vitreous caused by aging or other conditions or diseases:

Changes in the eyes of aging. It is jelly-like material composed of water as well as collagen (a form made of protein) and the hyaluronan (a kind that is a carbohydrate). The vitreous encapsulates the space inside your eye between your retina and the lens and aids in maintaining its circular shape.

As you get older, the vitreous’s structure changes. In time, it begins to liquify and shrinks — which causes it to separate from the surface of the eyeball.

When the vitreous changes collagen fibers inside the vitreous create clumps and strings. These fragments block some of the light that passes through the eye. The result is tiny shadows that are cast onto your retina , which are interpreted as floating.

Inflammation of the rear part of the eyes. Uveitis causes inflammation of the middle of tissues inside the eye’s the wall (uvea). Posterior uveitis is a condition that affects the back part of the eyes, including the retina as well as an eye layer known as the choroid. The inflammation triggers floaters within the vitreous. The reasons for posterior uveitis can be inflammation, autoimmune disorders and inflammatory conditions.

Eye bleeding. Inflammation of the vitreous could have a myriad of causes, such as retinal tears, detachments and retinal tear diabetes as well as excessive blood pressure (hypertension) as well as blood vessels that are blocked, and trauma. Blood cells are viewed as floating.

A tear in the retina. Retinal tears may occur when a contracted vitreous pulls on the retina enough to cause it to tear. If not treated an eye tear can result in retinal disconnection. If there is a leakage of fluid from behind the tear may lead to the retina’s split from the eye’s back. If left untreated, retinal detachment could lead to permanent loss of vision.

Eye surgeries and medications. Certain drugs which are injected into vitreous could create air bubbles. These bubbles appear as shadows until the eye absorbs the bubbles. Silicone oil bubbles that are created to certain surgical procedures on the retina and the vitreous are also referred to as floating particles.

Risk factors

Factors that increase your chances of having eye floaters are:

Over 50 years old
Nearsightedness
Eye injury
The complications of cataract surgery
The complication of diabetes can cause damage to retina’s blood vessels (diabetic retinal retinopathy)
Eye inflammation