What are Eye Floaters?

I was 8 months pregnant.  I had been lying down, got up quickly, and, in addition to feeling a little weak and light headed, all of a sudden there were gray dots in my vision.  It scared me silly.  I blinked hard, several times. Trying to get them to go away.  I removed my contact lenses.  Still there.  I put some eye drops in.  Maybe that would help?  Yet, they didn’t budge.  And, every time I tried to look directly at them it seemed like they would dart away.

What Are Floaters?

I called my optometrist’s office and explained the situation. He responded that it sounded like I was having a fairly common problem called: floaters.  He explained to me that eye floaters are little spots that appear in your field of vision and move around.   He also said that he wasn’t too concerned about them unless I suddenly had a lot of them show up, started to see flashes of light, or lost my ability to see peripherally.  He reassured me that I was probably okay because eye floaters, though annoying, are generally not a big deal.

What Do Floaters Look Like?

Though my floaters were dots, sometimes floaters can be squiggly lines or look like cobwebs, rings, or thread strands.  Most benign eye floaters are caused by small flecks of a protein called collagen that collect in the gel-filled back area of your eye called the vitreous humor.  Floaters are most common in older people because as you age, the collagen fibers shrink, become shred-like, and accumulate back there.  This then causes a change in the amount of light getting through to hit the retina.

Although this course of events can happen at any age, people between the ages of 50 and 75 are most susceptible to floaters.  People who are very nearsighted or have had cataract surgery may also be more likely to experience them.

When Should You See Your Optometrist?

As my doctor noted, immediate medical attention is critical if you also have flashes of light or a loss of side vision.  These symptoms may be caused by serious vision issues like a retinal detachment or tear or bleeding in the eye.

What should you do if you experience eye floaters?  First, stay calm because, unless you exhibit some of the other more serious side effects mentioned above, your floaters are probably more annoying than harmful.  But, if you are concerned or if it’s been longer than a year since your last eye exam, I’d recommend calling your closest America’s Best retailer and finding an optometrist to give you a thorough eye exam, just to be on the safe side.