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Floaters in eyes

(43 Posts)
Babs03 Wed 31-Jul-24 21:58:01

For the past few years have suffered from floaters in both eyes, went to the eye clinic at the onset and was told the viscous at the back of my eye had pulled away causing a blood vessel to bleed and cause more floaters but that this is just due to my age, tbh the other eye is just as bad. Nothing untoward was detected though. Was told that my Brain would adjust and I would get used to seeing the world through the floaters.
Years later am still waiting for my brain to adjust. Can impair my vision and is so frustrating because is nothing I can do about it. Eye drops don’t touch it.
Does anyone else have this?

Marydoll Wed 31-Jul-24 22:03:20

I do!
Initially, I thought it was tiny flying insects and kept brushing them away.
Mine have settled down and I am hardly aware of them.

Whitewavemark2 Wed 31-Jul-24 22:05:07

Weirdly I had a dream last night that I had a small spider living in my eye. I reckon it was a floater triggered it whilst I was asleep.

BlueBelle Wed 31-Jul-24 22:11:48

I ve had floaters all my life and my brain has adjusted They are still there but don’t bother me in the least

Lucyd Wed 31-Jul-24 22:17:51

Mine appeared earlier this year and as I used to be a teacher if the visually impaired I knew to get an eye check up ASAP just incase it was anything more sinister. Luckily it wasn't but the pesky little floaters were pretty annoying at first especially when I was reading (turning my head slightly to the left helped). Now I don't even notice them unless I think about them.

Oopsadaisy1 Wed 31-Jul-24 22:17:55

Mine are still there, worse in sunny weather, but really I’ve stopped noticing them.

But

They are back again today in the sunshine, mine happened 6 years ago.

nandad Wed 31-Jul-24 23:12:39

I sympathise OP.
I’ve had floaters longer than I can remember, I’m now 62. Like you, I’m still not used to them and some days I struggle to focus properly and so can’t read. Despite asking about them at every eye clinic I’ve attended, I’ve been told they are not bad enough to be treated.

LadyGracie Wed 31-Jul-24 23:14:06

I got mine about five years ago, they look like cobwebs. Occasionally I see what I think is a fly flying past. I notice them most when looking at a light background, like my pale grey bedroom wall.

I was told they would disperse, they haven't, they are now more apparent.

henetha Wed 31-Jul-24 23:16:51

My floaters have been with me for years now. I see them most days but not all. One or two is ok, but I gather that if you get a swarm of them suddenly you should seek medical help immediately.

Catterygirl Thu 01-Aug-24 00:09:11

My cataract operation last November went horribly wrong and I woke up to about 50 floaters, some very large. This was probably due to the jelly being released from the back of the eye when a repair operation happened immediately including an injection in the eye as local anaesthetic had run out. It was horrible but the consultants took good care of me and I don’t seem to require reading glasses. My opinion but needs to be confirmed by an optician.
Surprisingly, I decided to go ahead with the other eye surgery last week on my birthday. It took just 15 minutes and seems to be a success. Not a single floater. The consultants told me that they could see the floaters on their machine after the first operation and offered me corrective surgery for them if it became necessary. They were enormous but disappeared over several months. My close friend was told there’s no treatment for floaters but I believe there is depending on how bad they are.

geordief Thu 01-Aug-24 01:51:37

I think the treatment for floaters is fairly safe but even so is not recommended as most people learn to live with them.

The OP has the floaters for a long while and is still bothered by them.

In her place I would go back to the GP and ask whether they would recommend a procedure after all.

I have a Weiss ring variety of floater this past short while and I can honestly say that there us a part if me that would miss it if it went away (as I expect it to eventually)

nanna8 Thu 01-Aug-24 06:38:30

I had a macular hole a few years ago ( I had surgery to repair it )and just before it was diagnosed I had huge floaters like large inkblots. I assume that was bits of my macula! I still get smaller ones but they said that is normal. If they get very large or different I would get it checked asap.

karmalady Thu 01-Aug-24 07:01:25

I have floaters, I was sitting down and noticed lots of insects crawling along the wall, then realisation hit. They are permanent but honestly the brain does adapt, however it is the end of clear vision

My floaters came like a shower after just a couple all my life. Optician told me to go in if it happens again. I let my specs get dirty on purpose, it disguised the floaters and I think enabled me to adapt. I have had no more big episodes

There is no treatment apart from replacing the vitreous jelly and that has risks. People who have had cosmetic eye laser treatment are more likely to get floaters as are the short sighted and lifting heavy weights can cause them too and age of course

I take very good care of my eyes, never go out without my wrap-over rnib sunglasses to block UVa and b

The best people to deal with questions are the well-trained opticians

Tuaim Thu 01-Aug-24 07:05:53

Same here! Was diagnosed with PVD yesterday but am grateful that all I need to do is live with the floaters and not have to undergo further eye surgery. Have to go back in six weeks to check further. The optometrist gave me some written info on dealing with any suspicious symptoms. I never even knew this existed before eye surgery. I understand that floater surgery can be very risky so won't consider that.

M0nica Thu 01-Aug-24 07:15:34

I have been told by the hospital, after needing specialist eye tests for another reason that I have a lot of floaters in my eys, more than average, but I really do not notice them most of the time.

GrannyIvy Thu 01-Aug-24 07:16:18

I too have floaters but they don’t bother me too much. I am under review in Eye Clinic for what they think is a lesion (unknown aetiology) in my eye that leaks blood/fluid behind my eye from time to time but causes me no symptoms. It should disappear in time but if it worsens can be treated with laser treatment. Sometimes on waking I see a big black blob in that eye. It was detected on routine OCT in opticians two years ago.

BlueBelle Thu 01-Aug-24 07:21:36

Nanna8 I too have a macula hole but they told me unless it gets worse I can live with it and I do, although it looked big on the screen
I think my floaters started when I was very young but I find them quite fascinating when I close my eyes I can make all sorts of patterns haha and mostly I don’t notice them now
I ve had torn retinas and quite a bit of laser treatment for them
My eyes were both -12 One cateract op was terrible as the anesthetic didn’t work and although I told them they carried on regardless but the second one was a breeze

For a while I was reading street signs and number plates on two levels with a middle chunk higher or lower than the two sides, but within two weeks my brain had adjusted and now I read all on one level
Eyes are amazing things

nanna8 Thu 01-Aug-24 08:20:44

They certainly are amazing. I have one shortsighted eye which is great for sewing etc and one long sighted one. At first it was hard but now I regard it as a positive , best of both worlds, because my sight has adjusted and I can read without glasses though I do need them for driving.

biglouis Thu 01-Aug-24 08:35:12

Eyes are certainly wonderful things. I dont use glasses at all except for very close work and am 80 in a few days. Even then I only use reading glasses when I need to concentrate,

One thing I do get from time to time is called kalaidescope vision. It like a series of moving zigzag lights floating in my field of vision. It gradually passes away to the left and is sometimes accompanied by a headache. Usually gone within 15 minutes.

I first noticed it about 10 years ago and it happenes every few months.

Babs03 Thu 01-Aug-24 10:26:22

Thanx for all replies, am interested in replies that said the floaters get worse on direct light, I find this too, and they practically disappear when I wear sunglasses.
They are also worse at night - probs tired eyes, but seem almost bearable in the morning.
Need to go back to eye clinic anyway but waiting list is a year long so keep putting it off.
Will call them now.

Juicylucy Sat 03-Aug-24 11:10:13

Yes I’ve had them to. Luckily my brain adjusted so I don’t see them unless I’m sat in the sun with my eyes closed.

Lostmyglassesxx Sat 03-Aug-24 11:30:42

That sounds exactly like a migraine with aura

Candelle Sat 03-Aug-24 12:13:20

I suddenly saw wavy lamp posts, was diagnosed with a macular hole and had surgery. I was told that 10% of these operation need a repair and I, of course, was one of the 10!

Only after the second surgery (it was 'just' a laser treatment), I had many floaters which I was assured would dissipate over time. All did, bar one which I have named 'Anthony'. Ant looks just like, well, an ant most of the time but occasionally splits into several mini 'Ants' with no rhyme or reason.

I was told that my floaters were caused by the original surgery and if they didn't clear I could have it/them removed by yet another surgery. The floaters are bits of debris from the operation.

The fact that my Ant could be removed makes me wonder what are the floaters in people who have not had surgery. Does anyone know?

Alison333 Sat 03-Aug-24 12:17:50

biglouis

Eyes are certainly wonderful things. I dont use glasses at all except for very close work and am 80 in a few days. Even then I only use reading glasses when I need to concentrate,

One thing I do get from time to time is called kalaidescope vision. It like a series of moving zigzag lights floating in my field of vision. It gradually passes away to the left and is sometimes accompanied by a headache. Usually gone within 15 minutes.

I first noticed it about 10 years ago and it happenes every few months.

That sounds like a form of migraine. I used to have horrible migraines but after the menopause, I started to have exactly what you have described.

However if it gets worse please go to an optician (just in case) where they have those extra scanners - you need eyedrops first but the optometrist can see a lot more. Or, your GP if you can get an appointment!

Fleurpepper Sat 03-Aug-24 12:22:41

I suddenly had floaters in left eye just before Christmas. Went for thorough eye check with ophtalmologist who told me not to worry, nothing serious. This thread make me realise they seem to have disappeared.