Floaty things in front of vision

faceman

Does anybody else get those floaty mostly transparent wormy looking things in their vision? (Sorry dont know the technical terms!)

They are like what a virus or parasite might look like under the microscope but are fairly transparent. Its like they are suspended in the fluid on your eyeball and as you look around, they glide around too.

Anybody know what it is or how many people have it. It doesnt get in the way of vision and you dont always notice it.

Creamy Goodness

can't be much help to you, other than to say that i get this too and was always meaning to make a thread about it.
i have noticed though they do seem to follow where ever your eyes focus.

Dr Strange

faceman wrote:

Does anybody else get those floaty mostly transparent wormy looking things in their vision? (Sorry dont know the technical terms!)

They are like what a virus or parasite might look like under the microscope but are fairly transparent. Its like they are suspended in the fluid on your eyeball and as you look around, they glide around too.

Anybody know what it is or how many people have it. It doesnt get in the way of vision and you dont always notice it.

Hi,

I have to say yes, I do have them too. I first thought they might be little dust particles or tiny hairs that have just settled on your eye but, just as in your experience, they seem to stay in one place and follow your gaze and I noticed the same one even after years. Could it be some slight scratches or tiny scars on the cornea, maybe from sand or other hard tiny particles that may have entered the eye at some stage (maybe during childhood) and caused a little "nick" on the cornea?

Best,
P.

c - 13

They tend to be simply referred to as floaters I think, I cant remember the real name -
http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/floaters/index.asp

tbh

http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/spotsfloats.htm


Eye Floaters and Spots

By Judith Lee and Gretchyn Bailey;
reviewed by Dr. Vance Thompson

You may sometimes see small specks or clouds moving in your field of vision. They are called floaters. You can often see them when looking at a plain background, like a blank wall or blue sky. Floaters are actually tiny clumps of gel or cells inside the vitreous, the clear jelly-like fluid that fills the inside of your eye.

Floaters may look like specks, strands, webs or other shapes. Actually, what you are seeing are the shadows of floaters cast on the retina, the light-sensitive part of the eye.
Eye Floaters and Spots Symptoms and Signs

If a spot or shadowy shape passes in front of your field of vision or to the side, you are seeing a floater. Because they are inside your eye, they move with your eyes when you try to see them. You may also see flashes of light. These flashes occur more often in older people as the vitreous humor thickens and tugs on the light-sensitive retina. They may be a warning sign of a detached retina. Flashes also occur after a blow to the head, often called "seeing stars."
Spots and eye floaters

If you have floaters, they'll likely look like this when you peer up at a bright, blue sky.

Vitreous detachment

Clumps of vitreous gel can float in the eye, creating the spots and floaters many people see in bright light. Large numbers of these clumps can be produced when the vitreous gel begins to thicken or shrink, usually with aging, and detaches from the inner back of the eye (retina). The resulting spots and floaters you see after a vitreous detachment are actually "shadows" cast by clumped bits of vitreous gel when light shines past them onto the retina, where vision processing occurs.


Some people experience flashes of light that appear as jagged lines or "heat waves" in both eyes, often lasting 10-20 minutes. These types of flashes are usually caused by a spasm of blood vessels in the brain, which is called a migraine. If a headache follows the flashes, it is called a migraine headache. However, jagged lines or "heat waves" can occur without a headache. In this case, the light flashes are called an ophthalmic migraine, or a migraine without a headache.
What Causes Eye Floaters and Spots?

For most people, floaters occur as they grow older. The vitreous humor thickens and clumps as we age, and floaters result from the clumped vitreous gel. Sometimes pregnant women see spots caused by little bits of protein trapped within the eye. Eye injury or breakdown of the vitreous humor may also cause spots and floaters.

When people reach middle age, the vitreous gel may start to thicken or shrink, forming clumps or strands inside the eye. The vitreous gel pulls away from the back wall of the eye, causing a posterior vitreous detachment. It is a common cause of floaters, and it is more common for people who:

* are nearsighted;
* have undergone cataract operations;
* have had YAG laser surgery of the eye;
* have had inflammation inside the eye.

Treatment for Spots and Floaters

Most spots and eye floaters are merely annoying but harmless when they temporarily enter the field of vision, and many fade over time. People sometimes are interested in surgery to remove floaters, but doctors are willing to perform such surgery only in rare instances.
Related Articles

Retinal detachment: what to do about it

If you suddenly see new floaters, or eye floaters accompanied by flashes of light or peripheral vision loss, it could indicate serious conditions such as diabetic retinopathy; vascular abnormalities such as retinal hemorrhages or carotid artery disease, or the beginning of a retinal detachment. The retina can tear if the shrinking vitreous gel pulls away from the wall of the eye. This sometimes causes a small amount of bleeding in the eye that may appear as new floaters. You should see your eye doctor immediately

Dr Strange

Hi tbh,

thanks very much, that is really interesting. It is also good to know about recurring flashes and what it could mean.

Best,
P.

tbh

no probs - it was something I was asking myself recently, thread just reminded me to do a search. AND I remembered to find out how Romans made ice

joe_chicken

I've tried to describe them to other people, but all I got back was:
"You have worms in your eyes?!"

Like the article says, I usually see them quite clearly when looking at a blue sky.

Good to know I'm not alone.:D

DrIndy

interesting article, wasn't too sure myself as to all the causes before.....

faceman

at least we dont have worms in our eyes!