The little transparent things you see when you look at a clear blue sky or a bright, white wall. They may be a sign of a detached retina (ewww… eyeball surgery is gross…) But mostly they’re just a sign of aging (yay!..?) and Chinese medicine used to attribute them to excessive masturbation… (hmmm…)
The doctors said they’re benign and I should just live with them. Anyone else have these little boogers? I asked people at work, and the response is “Only old people get that…” OK, so I’m 30… and a half… Apparently the only way to deal with these is to ‘get used’ to them, but it would be easier if I knew more people who had them; a sort of 飛蚊 support group, I guess.
In fact, most people have the clear transparent ones. But I got a couple of grey ones that I noticed on a trip to Peng Hu. But perhaps it means that my vision is better; I mean, now I can see both the inside AND the outside of my eyeball. Hooray!
I’ve always wondered about those little things too. I’ve had some most of my life (I’m 34 now). Mine mostly look like tiny tree branches with little round cells inside. There are a couple of somewhat opaque things too. The doc indicated that they were normal, common, and not much to worry about as long as there’s only a few.
I have them. I have excellent vision and I’m 21. Both of my brothers who are older than me have them as well. When I first started to see them they really annoyed me.
Now I’m able to ignore them. Just try not to concentrate on them, or look at them. If they start to appear just look around and blink them away.
It also helps if every time they appear, just think: “Well, at least I’m not blind…” :s
I first became aware that I had them when I was living in Africa. I’d lived for nearly a year in rural Kenya before moving down to Cape Town, it was there that I “discovered” them. I freaked out a bit, thinking I had gotten some weird parasitic infection during my travels.
I rushed to see an eye doctor and he told me, what you’ve heard, that they are benign, can occur at any age, and are untreatable, except in rare cases when surgical intervention is deemed necessary. THe way they get the little buggers is to drain the fluid out of your eyeball, strain out the floaters and replace fluid - sounds fun.
The best thing to do is to just ignore them. Try not to dwell on them, or they’ll drive you… nuts.
Vitreous floaters are in most cases benign just like you have been told. The best thing to do is to ignore them and if they really get in your way, blink or look in a certain direction which moves them away.
If you see a sudden increase in floaters you must consult a doctor as soon as possible. It could indicate a retinal break or detachment.
Older people do get more floaters- but it is common in young people too. High myopes (high minus or very,very, very nearsighted people) are also a high risk group for retinal breaks or dettachments.
They’re also a risk indication for vitreous detachment (when the vitreous – the “fluid”, really more like a ball of jelly – pulls away from the inside of your eyeball).
I’ve had floaters since I was a teenager, been told there is no harm so long as you don’t see an increase in them as mentioned above. They seem to be more noticable when stressed out.
Mr. Sir, it’s apparent that you are not alone and I thank you for bringing to light how common floaters are. Years ago the doc described mine as “bear tracks” (all transparent) which I attributed to staring at the sun several times after being told not to–logic being that I had burned off some cell layers but, what did I know. Thus far, I still have 20/20 vision but, I’m turning 30 next week and fear that I’ll be viewed as ripe compost. Based on your post, I better begin looking forward to adding to my floater collection.
It might be an early sign of retinal detachment. My dad and brother both had things like that appear and went in to an opthamalagist for a quick zap with the laser. I’ve read that it’s more likely when you are severely nearsighted.
I’ve been told the opposite by two physicians, that it becomes less likely with age.[/quote]
Umm… Dolphin is an Optom.[/quote]
Ok. Just reporting what I was told – it happened to my mother within the last year, and this is what her doctors told me. If they’re wrong, then I’d better tell her so she can find new ones.
A couple of years ago, I stupidly chipped a tiny bit off the tip of a chisel and sent it into (and I mean into) my left eye. Being the idiot that I am, I didn’t go to the doctor until the next day, who immediately referred me to the eye hospital (this was in Edinburgh, Scotland, BTW), who within about an hour had me under a general anaesthetic, eye out, door cut on the bottom, metal removed with super-magnet-type-thing. According to my doctor, I was lucky not to lose the eye. And guess what, I have perfect vision now!
A few weeks ago, after flying back from the UK (to Taiwan), I suddenly discovered a couple of annoying floaters in my right eye. Really distracting ones. I finally went to the opticians last night and had a thorough examination (I wanted to check my left eye was still doing well too).
To summarize, I was told that there is no sign of anything in my left eye (which I guess is good, though I do wonder if it’s completely true), and I’ll just have to live with the floaters in my right eye.
So here’s my “moan”. I thought removing a couple of floaters would be simple. You know, just some good eye drops or something, but I have to live the rest of my life trying to ignore these floaters. Is this right? Has anyone else had a similar problem?
The optician is supposed to be very good, BTW. It was explained that the floaters are not actually on the surface, but just under it (?)
I think there was another thread about floaters back in the day. I’ve had them for as long as I can remember, but I don’t even notice them now. I have to try to see them to notice them now.
