Floaters are a common eye condition that may affect vision. Contrary to popular belief, floaters do not occur in the eye's retina (the back of the eye responsible for processing visual images and sending them to the brain), but do affect how the retina functions and processes images.
Significance
Although floaters are extremely common and usually harmless and fleeting, they can be a sign of a more serious eye condition. Multiple floaters are a symptom of a detached retina, which, if not treated quickly and effectively, can lead to permanent vision loss.
Features
Floaters are "fuzzballs" or specks in the visual field that come in various shapes and intensities. These specks are dislodged tissue that "floats" in the eye's vitreous gel and are visually processed as gray shapes obstructing full vision when light passes through the front of the eye back to the retina.
Causes
Dislodged tissue within the eye is commonly caused by natural aging, as the gel of the eye begins to liquefy, but can also result from injury to the eye or head, eye surgery, another eye abnormality, or any shift in cellular material caused by hemorrhage or inflammation.
Symptoms
Floaters may occur in one or both eyes and may vary in shape as spots, curved lines, Os, Cs, or branch-type shapes. The lines and shapes may be thick or thin and may appear as a single isolated floater or hundreds. Most people report floaters as cloudy, dark and gray.
When Floaters Are a Medical Emergency
All floaters should be determined harmless by an ophthalmologist. A shower of floaters and spots accompanied by light flashes are emergencies as both are signs of retinal detachment, which can result in vision impairment or loss if not treated promptly.
Treatment
Most floaters do not require treatment because they will subside on their own, according to Dr. Andrew A. Dahl's report on floaters for MedicineNet.com, which also says there is no medication or eye drops available for treatment. However, some floaters are debilitating so that patients may undergo laser surgery or vitrectomy for correction.
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