Eye Floaters: Causes and Treatments

What to Do to Those Pesky Eye Floaters?

Visual disturbances are fairly common, and many people wonder about eye floaters’ causes. Floaters are, of course, those little specks, spots, or squiggly lines that occasionally drift through your line of vision. These typically happen more often as you age, but you may see them earlier if you are nearsighted, or have eye trauma or surgery. Understanding eye floaters cause begins with understanding the anatomy of the eye. Our eyes are filled with a jelly-like substance known as a vitreous gel. As we age, this gel breaks down, and little bits of it begin to float around inside the eye, casting shadows on the retina. We see these shadows and perceive them as floaters. This is the most common cause of floaters, and typically, these do not cause a problem. For some people, they become severe, and are a nuisance, or can even interfere with vision.

Floaters that are more serious can be caused by a retinal tear or retinal detachment. This is very serious and can cause blindness. Any sudden increase in floaters, or diminishing of vision, is not to be taken lightly and warrants an eye appointment. Sometimes, these issues can be resolved with an outpatient laser procedure. Particularly serious cases may require surgery.

Floaters sometimes occur after LASIK surgery. This is because there is increased pressure in the eye during the procedure. Fortunately, these floaters typically go away on their own, and the ones that remain are eventually easy to ignore; the brain does a good job of adapting to them. Still, if you experience a sudden onset of floaters, contact your ophthalmologist for an appointment, to learn the eye floaters’ causes.

If you are looking for a LASIK surgeon in Dallas, consider Dr. Gary Tylock, of the Tylock-George Eye Care and Laser Center. A pioneer in the field of laser eye surgery, Dr. Tylock has not only had more than twenty-five years of experience in the field but has actually helped develop some of the equipment used in LASIK surgery. Visit the Tylock website to learn more, or connect with the online community on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.