Are you seeing floating spots in your vision? They may show up as curved lines, circles, or half circles, and there may be just a few or many. You probably see them most when looking at lighter scenes or solid colors. These eye floaters may just be irritating, or they may be of concern for you. In this article we will explain what these floaters in the eye are, what causes them, and what can be done to get rid of them.

What are eye floaters?

The cornea and lens in your eye focus light on the retina, enabling you to see. Between the lens and retina, the light passes through the vitreous humor, a jellylike substance that fills the back two-thirds of the eye. As we age, this vitreous humor fills up with strands, deposits, and liquid pockets. The light passing through casts shadows from these obstructions onto the surface of the retina. These shadows are what we see as eye floaters.

Being shadows, these obstructions may appear as black floaters in the eyes. They also show up more clearly against bright backgrounds or solid colors. They are also like fingerprints, in that no one has the same floaters. If floaters appear in both eyes, each eye will have different types and amounts of floaters.

Eye floaters are very common, especially in older adults. Most people who go to see an ophthalmologist do so because of eye floaters. While some people are much more aware of eye floaters than others, most people have them by the age of 70.

Eye floaters may occur earlier in life if you happen to be nearsighted. Vitreous syneresis, the contraction of the vitreous humor, is accelerated in highly myopic eyes. Posterior vitreous detachments can occur significantly earlier for people who are nearsighted.

What causes eye floaters?

Eye floaters can be caused by any condition that reduces the clarity of the vitreous humor. Small liquid pockets naturally form as the vitreous jelly liquifies over time. This is vitreous syneresis. The edges of these liquid pockets are what show up as shadows against the retina, and appear as eye floaters. Collagen fibers within the vitreous humor may also thicken and become denser over time. These will also show up as shadows against the retina.

As vitreous syneresis develops, the vitreous humor may pull away from the optic nerve that it is normally attached to. The former attachment may appear as a floater in the eye as well. Even the back surface of the vitreous humor can show up as shadows on the retina, appearing as floaters in the eye. This overall process is known as posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). Or sometimes as posterior vitreous separation.

PVD is not the same as retinal detachment, which occurs when the retina separates from the underlying tissue in the eye.

Vitreous syneresis and posterior vitreous are not the only conditions which may cause eye floaters. Any cellular material that works its way into the vitreous humor may block light passing to the retina and cause a floater. An example of this occurring would be red blood cells from a hemorrhage, or white blood cells from inflammation.

Hemorrhages may be brought on by injury, diabetic retinopathy, a tear in the retina through a blood vessel, or possibly eye surgery. Inflammation may be the result of uveitis, injury, infection, or surgery.

Getting rid of eye floaters

Unfortunately, there are no safe, proven methods of removing eye floaters, since the causes are natural due to aging. Many times, eye floaters will fade away on their own, or the brain will become used to them and stop alerting you to their presence. Relaxation techniques can help a patient adjust to the presence of floaters.

There are no proven medications for eye floaters; however, several herbs and vitamins have been put forth as natural treatments to help reduce their occurrence. As well, some antibiotics may help reduce floaters from inflammation.

Some extreme cases of obstructions within the vitreous humor have given rise to experimental surgeries, and practices such as YAG laser surgery and vitrectomy. These should not be solutions to normal, moderate floater brought on by age. Seek medical advice before pursuing these courses.

Although eye floaters can be annoying, they are usually not dangerous. Brought on naturally by age, these obstructions in the vitreous humor are something we will all have to deal with eventually. Hopefully, this article has been helpful if you have been wondering how to get rid of eye floaters.