What are eye floaters?
Eye (photo by R'eyes - CC-BY)
Eye floaters are small specks or strings that drift around in the line of vision as your eyes move. Mostly they go unnoticed unless you are facing a bright light, such as a white screen on your computer monitor or a bright blue sky, when you may notice small shadows floating around. When you try to focus on the shadows, they move out of the way and eventually drift down and out of your field of vision.
People most at risk of developing eye floaters are those who…
…are over the age of 40
…are nearsighted
…have had eye trauma
…have had complications from cataract surgery
…are diabetic
…have inflammation in the eye
Most floaters occur when the gel-like substance inside the eyeball (the vitreous) begins to liquify as we age and the microscopic fibers in the vitreous clump together and float around in the liquid. Most floaters require no treatment and are rarely cause for concern unless you notice a sudden increase in the number of floaters that you see (in this case, seek emergency care immediately as it may be a symptom of a retinal tear or detachment). If they become so numerous that they are interfering with your vision, it is possible to have surgery to withdraw the vitreous and replace it with a saltwater solution, however, this procedure can cause retinal detachment and cataracts.
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People who are nearsighted are more prone to eye floaters. Excessive computer use or near work may contribute to the onset of floaters as well. As one ages, the vitreous gel (which helps maintain the shape of the eye) starts to liquefy, adding more stress on the connective tissue between the vitreous sac and retina, thereby increasing one’s risk of getting eye floaters.
Sometimes an eye floater may be simply debri left over from fetal development where blood vessels no longer needed did not completely dissolve, leaving bits of debri in the vitreous gel. This debri may have just been out of “field of focus”, then for whatever reason floated into view.
Anyone experiencing a sudden increase in eye floaters should get examined by their eye doctor.
Diet, lifestyle, and specific nutrient supplementation can play a role in preventing eye floaters.
Based on Chinese medicine, there is an energetic system within the eyes that slowly works on breaking down the eye floaters. This energetic system can be enhanced by cleansing and tonifying the Liver (meridian). The Liver meridian in Chinese medicine “opens to the eyes”, and is the main channel of energy responsible for overall healthy vision.
Eye floaters could be nothing and could occur as the eyes age.
If you continue to have them for prolonged periods of time, you may have something else wrong. It never hurts to seek expert eye care from a professional.