Can See Floaters

Have you ever seen spots or flecks floating in front of your eyes? You may think you have dirt or something worse in them, but you cannot feel it. If you try to rub the spots away, they remain or get worse. That is because what you are noticing is not dust or debris. Rather, what you are most likely seeing are "floaters" medically known as OPACIFICATIONS or CONDENSATIONS.

Floaters can look like flecks, cobwebs, hairs, dust particles, or tiny insects gliding across your field of vision. But they are not actually on the eye's surface, which is why they do not disappear when you rub your eyes. Rather, they are tiny clumps of Vitreous Humor (also spelled "humour"), a jelly-like fluid inside the eyeball. You are most likely to notice floaters when you look directly at a solid light-colored background, such as white wall or clear blue sky. They usually last for only a few seconds or possibly minutes, and they come and go with changes in head position. Although usually permanent, many people stop noticing them after a while.

If floaters bug you, you are not aloone: virtually everyone sees them from time to time. People who are very nearsighted and those who have had eye surgery are more likely than others to see floaters. Floaters usually first appear when we are teenagers and tend to increase in frequency as we get older. This is because the vitreous humour starts to pull away from the retina as we age. Small shreds of the gel then break off and float across our field of vision.

Floaters are usually just an annoying sign of aging. They can, however, sometimes signal a serious problem, especially if: you start seeing a lot more than usual, you see larger ones, you notice them when looking at dark as well as light backgrounds, or they cluster in one spot. These are all common early warning signs of cataracts, eye inflammation, eye hemorrhages, or other serious eye problems. And a sudden shower of floaters may signify something even more dangerous, such as a retinal tear or detachment. A retinal detachment is a medical emergency requiring immediate attention - undiagnosed and untreated, it can lead to permanent blindness.

If you have a sudden change in vision especially if you start seeing double or thing start to look blurry, call your doctor right away or head to the emergency room. If you have had a recent injury to your head or face, it may be a sign of a concussion. If not, it still may signal a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention.