Facts About Eye Floaters: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

Understanding Shaky Eyes and Floaters

As we age, many people begin to notice tiny specks or strings floating in their field of vision. Known as eye floaters, these common visual disturbances can lead to anxiety and concern. However, in most cases, eye floaters are a natural part of the aging process and not a cause for alarm. With an understanding of what causes eye floaters, their symptoms, and potential treatments, you can find relief and peace of mind.

What Are Eye Floaters?

Eye floaters appear as small dots, cobwebs, strings, or clouds moving in your field of vision as your eyes shift. Also called muscae volitantes, eye floaters occur when tiny pieces of the vitreous gel inside the eye become detached from the retina. This cast-off vitreous debris floats around in the gel, casting shadows on the retina that you see as eye floaters.

Eye floaters are extremely common and most often seen in people over age 50 as the vitreous gel slowly shrinks and detaches from the retina. Nearsighted individuals are also more prone to eye floaters. Floaters themselves are harmless and painless, simply drifting around based on eye movements.

What Causes Eye Floaters?

There are several potential causes and risk factors for eye floaters:

• Age-related vitreous degeneration - As you age, the vitreous gel inside the eye liquefies and detaches clumps from the retina.
• Nearsightedness - Nearsighted eyes exert more traction on the vitreous and retina, causing separation.
• Injury - Eye trauma can lead to bleeding inside the eye and rapid release of vitreous from the retina.
• Inflammation - Uveitis causes vitreous shrinkage and release of debris into the eye.
• Eye surgery - Procedures like cataract surgery cause vitreous detachment from the retina.
• Diabetic retinopathy - Abnormal blood vessels grow in the retina, releasing vitreous.
• Tumors - Rare eye tumors can cause clumping or bleeding in the vitreous.

In most people, eye floaters are simply caused by age-related changes and pose no risks to vision. However, any sudden increase in floaters should be evaluated to rule out a retinal tear or other complication.

Symptoms of Eye Floaters

The primary symptom of eye floaters is seeing small shapes drifting across your field of vision. Common descriptions of eye floaters include:

• Small dots or circles
• Cobwebs
• Thread-like strings
• Squiggly lines
• Clouds or oil spots
• Hairs or microfilaments
• Specks or flecks

Floaters may appear dark or gray against a light background or light against a darker backdrop. They drift when your eyes move and seem to dart away when you try to look directly at them.

Eye floaters are often most noticeable when looking at a plain bright background like a blue sky or white wall. Bright light causes your pupils to contract, which makes the shadows of the floaters stand out more.

Most people learn to ignore mild eye floaters and are only bothered by them when looking at plain surfaces. However, some people find eye floaters highly bothersome and distracting in all settings.

When to See a Doctor

In most cases, the appearance of a few new eye floaters is not concerning and requires no treatment. However, you should get an urgent comprehensive eye exam if you experience:

• Sudden increase in eye floaters
• New flashes of light in your vision
• Gray curtain or veil appearing in your vision
• Loss of visual acuity
• Distorted vision

These vision changes can signal a retinal tear, retinal detachment, or other sight-threatening complication. Retinal tears occur when traction on the vitreous causes the thin retina tissue to rip, often at areas of weakness.

Retinal tears must be repaired quickly before leading to detachment of the retina from the eye wall. Floaters combined with light flashes are a medical emergency requiring prompt treatment to prevent permanent vision loss.

Diagnosing Eye Floaters

An ophthalmologist can diagnose benign eye floaters through a simple eye exam. Testing normally includes:

• Visual acuity test
• Eye pressure measurement
• Pupil dilation
• Thorough exam of the retina

The eye doctor will evaluate for any signs of retinal tears, detachment, bleeding, or other abnormalities. Often eye floaters are simply diagnosed by patient report with no other testing needed.

Eye Floater Treatment Options

Currently there is no treatment to permanently eliminate eye floaters. However, the following options may help reduce bothersome symptoms:

• Vitrectomy surgery - Removes the vitreous gel and floaters through a small incision.
• Laser vitreolysis - Uses lasers to dissolve eye floaters without surgery.
• Atropine - Dilates the pupil so floaters are less visible.
• Vision training - Uses relaxation and eye movement exercises to tune out floaters.

Vitrectomy surgery poses risks of bleeding, infection, retinal tears, glaucoma, and accelerated cataract formation. Laser treatment is less invasive but not widely available. Overall, treatment is rarely pursued given eye floaters are so common and harmless.

Coping Strategies for Eye Floaters

Most eye care providers recommend simply getting used to the presence of eye floaters over time. Coping strategies include:

• Ignoring floaters as much as possible.
• Avoiding staring at light blank surfaces which make floaters more visible.
• Using sunglasses outdoors to reduce glare.
• Blinking frequently to move floaters out of the central field of vision.
• Focusing vision on objects at a distance.
• Ensuring proper correction of nearsightedness.
• Reducing eye strain which can worsen floaters.

While frustrating at first, most people are able to adapt to eye floaters within a few months. Counseling may help in cases of significant anxiety or distress over symptoms.

The Bottom Line on Eye Floaters

Eye floaters are extremely common visual disturbances that arise as the vitreous gel naturally shrinks with age. Small specks and clouds drifting in the field of vision are not a cause for concern in most cases.

However, a sudden increase in eye floaters or new light flashes can signal a retinal tear requiring urgent evaluation. If eye floaters are significantly impacting your daily life, speak to an eye doctor about potential treatment options.

With some patience and coping strategies, bothersome eye floaters usually fade into the background over time. By understanding the facts about this normal aging phenomenon, you can rest assured and adjust your vision focus.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.