What are the causes of eye floaters and how do they affect vision?

Eye floaters are a common visual phenomenon characterized by the perception of small shapes moving in your field of vision www.brightfocus.org, www.mayoclinic.org. These shapes can appear as dark specks, transparent strings, or clouds www.mayoclinic.org. They are most noticeable when looking at a bright background, such as a blue sky or a white wall www.mayoclinic.org, www.nei.nih.gov.

Causes of Eye Floaters

Floaters arise from various causes, which can be broadly categorized as benign or pathological www.emedicinehealth.com.

• Benign Causes: The most common cause of eye floaters is age-related changes in the vitreous humor www.emedicinehealth.com. The vitreous humor is a gel-like substance that fills the space between the lens and the retina www.emedicinehealth.com.

  • Vitreous Degeneration: As people age, the vitreous gel can liquefy and shrink. This process can cause collagen fibers within the vitreous to clump together www.brightfocus.org. These clumps cast shadows on the retina, which are perceived as floaters www.brightfocus.org.

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• Pathological Causes: While most floaters are benign, some can indicate a more serious underlying eye condition www.emedicinehealth.com, www.nei.nih.gov. These include:

  • Retinal Detachment: Floaters, along with light flashes, can be a symptom of retinal detachment www.mayoclinic.org. Retinal detachment is a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention.
  • Retinal Tears: Similar to retinal detachment, a sudden increase in floaters can signal a retinal tear www.mayoclinic.org.
  • Vitreous Hemorrhage: Bleeding into the vitreous humor can also cause floaters www.emedicinehealth.com. This can be due to various factors, including diabetic retinopathy, injury, or other blood vessel abnormalities.
  • Inflammation: Eye inflammation (uveitis) can cause inflammatory cells to be released into the vitreous, leading to the appearance of floaters www.emedicinehealth.com.
  • Eye Tumors: In rare cases, eye tumors can cause floaters.

How Floaters Affect Vision

Floaters can affect vision in several ways:

• Obstruction: Floaters can partially obstruct vision, especially if they are large or numerous.
• Distraction: Even if they don't significantly obstruct vision, floaters can be distracting and annoying www.health.harvard.edu.
• Movement: Floaters move with eye movement, making it difficult to focus on them www.mayoclinic.org, www.nei.nih.gov. When you try to look directly at them, they tend to move away www.nei.nih.gov.

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When to Seek Medical Attention

While most floaters are harmless, it's important to seek immediate medical attention from an eye specialist if you experience www.mayoclinic.org:

• A sudden increase in the number of floaters
• The sudden appearance of new floaters
• Flashes of light in the same eye as the floaters
• A loss of peripheral vision

These symptoms could indicate a retinal tear or detachment, which requires prompt treatment to prevent permanent vision loss www.mayoclinic.org.

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Treatment and Management

Most floaters do not require treatment www.health.harvard.edu. They may disappear over time or become less noticeable as the brain adapts to them www.health.harvard.edu. If floaters become bothersome, moving your eyes up and down or left and right can sometimes shift them and provide temporary relief www.health.harvard.edu.

In rare cases where floaters severely impair vision, more invasive treatments may be considered:

• Vitrectomy: This surgical procedure involves removing the vitreous gel and replacing it with a saline solution. Vitrectomy carries risks, including retinal detachment, cataracts, and infection, so it's generally reserved for severe cases www.health.harvard.edu.
• Laser Vitreolysis: This procedure uses a laser to break up the floaters into smaller pieces, making them less noticeable. However, this approach has not been carefully studied in clinical trials, and its long-term effectiveness and safety are still being evaluated www.health.harvard.edu.

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