What Are Eye Floaters and Should I Be Concerned If I Have Them?
Let's take the second part of that headline question first, shall we? Should you be concerned if you see spots or floaters in your field of vision? Probably not. That's because the "floaters" happen to all of us. It's usually a function of age but I think I have been mesmerized by the squiggly lines and dots since I was much younger than I am now.
Those lines and dots are actually shadows. They are cast on your retina by clumps of microscopic fibers within the vitreous or jelly-like substance that inside your eyeball. As we said, they're perfectly normal unless you notice a sudden increase in their occurrence.
The Mayo Clinic listed these symptoms of eye floaters on their website:
- Small shapes in your vision that appear as dark specks or knobby, transparent strings of floating material
- Spots that move when you move your eyes, so when you try to look at them, they move quickly out of your visual field
- Spots that are most noticeable when you look at a plain bright background, such as a blue sky or a white wall
- Small shapes or strings that eventually settle down and drift out of the line of vision
While most of the time these "visions" are just an annoyance or a great way to pass the time if you're bored on a summer day. There could be reasons for you to consult your eye care professional for an exam.
As we mentioned if you notice a sudden increase in the appearance of floaters or you're perceiving flashes of light in the same eye where you're noticing the increase in floaters, that could an important signal for you to call your doctor.
Another symptom that can accompany eye floaters that would also be a good reason to call your eye care professional is if you notice darkness on the side or sides of your vision. Think of it this way, if you can't see in your peripheral vision as well as you used to then you might want to set an appointment with a professional.
Yes, it is possible to remove the eye floaters from your field of vision but it involves surgery. However, the way most people deal with eye floaters is to simply ignore them.