Causes of eye floaters

Floaters in the eye appear in a variety of shapes and sizes. While some of the people see it as tiny specks there are others who see larger floaters appearing in their field of vision all the time. Sometimes, they also take the form of cobwebs or fine lines. In some case, they only appear in one part of the eye while the other remains free of floaters.

So what is the real cause behind these floaters? And can they actually be prevented? Let us try to find answers to some of these questions through this short piece of article.

When it comes to the causes of floaters, they can actually be categorized into two main categories:
•    Posterior vitreous detachment: In this case, the vitreous humor gets detached from the back of the eye ball called retina and leaves behind certain debris, which then appear in the form of floaters in the field of vision.

•    Syneresis: It is that part of the eye where protein collagen gets deposited in clumps due to its thickening over a period of time, due to a variety of reasons, age being one of the factors. This shrinkage of vitreous humor and its transformation into fluid leads to the thickening of protein strands, which then get clumped up together and cast a shadow on the retina. These shadows then appear in the field of vision as different types of structures floating in front of our eyes.

The unfortunate part about these floaters is that they cannot be prevent, as they usually result due to ageing, which in itself is an irreversible process.

There are a few other causes of floaters in the eyes, some of which are much more serious than the ones mentioned above. For instance, a vitreous hemorrhage can also cause floaters. This is a case where blood enters the vitreous humor due to hemorrhage. If only tiny droplets of blood enter the vitreous, then one would see tiny specks in the field of his or her vision. However, if the blood enter in large amounts then it can severely affect the patient’s visibility. In such a scenario, one should rush to the nearest eye specialist and get this condition treated. Else it could easily impair his vision permanently.

Some other causes of floaters include inflammation, retinal detachments and diabetic retinopathy among others.

So if you are experiencing this problem, then get your eyes tested before it is too late.

Myths and facts about floaters

Not only are they weird but they are very confusing and quite wormy as well. And most of the people around the world would have to deal with them at some point of time or the other. We are talking about the floaters in the eye. So what are they? Let us take a closer look at them while getting rid of some of the myths commonly associated with them.

Myth 1: Floaters are nothing but just a trick of the light.

Fact: If you happen to be living with this myth, then you have been living with a lie all your life. The reason behind it is the fact that eye floaters are not any sort of trick of the light but arpe a sort of problem that occur inside our eyes. The cause behind it is the small pecks of collagen which tend to get deposited in small clumps due to various reasons, age being one of the factors. So as the collagen fibers shrink and turn into shred like structures, they directly affect the light which hits the retina present in our eyes. It is because of this reason that we see a range of structures floating around in front of our field of vision.

Myth 2: Eye floaters are a result of some serious vision related problems

Fact: In most of the cases, eye floaters are absolutely harmless. So you need not worry about them most of the times. The problem, as mentioned above, can occur due to a variety of reasons, and most of the times they do not become a matter of serious concern. Even kids can face this sort of problem but that does not mean that you have to get worried. However, if these floaters in the eye are giving you some serious problems, then you can meet an eye specialist who will diagnose the problem and suggest the treatment accordingly. Some of the floater related problems can be a sign of retinal tear or detachment. So if they are giving a lot of trouble, then you must get your eyes checked without any sort of delay whatsoever.

Myth 3: Eye floaters will go away on their own

Fact: A lot of people do not get their eyes checked because of the misconception that eye floaters will go away without any treatment. But the fact is that eye floaters never go away on their own. You have to get them treated.