It’s a Bird, it’s a Plane!….It’s actually an Eye Floater


Eye floaters Boca Raton, FlEye floaters are those annoying spots that seem to lazily glide across your vision. You can see them particularly well when you stare at something bright. Although they may annoy you, they should not cause problems with your vision. Eye floaters are not a big deal, but you should schedule an appointment with your doctor immediately if: you have a sudden increase in eye floaters, a loss of side vision, eye pain, or floaters appear after eye surgery or eye trauma.

Symptoms of eye floaters

Eye floaters are minuscule pieces of protein called collagen and are part of the vitreous, a gel-like material in the back of the eye. As you age, protein fibers will shrink and clump together. These create the appearance of shadows moving across your retina. These eye changes typically occur between age 50 and 75.  If you are nearsighted or have had cataract surgery, you are more likely to have floaters. Floaters can also occur due to:

  • Eye tumors
  • Deposits that develop in the vitreous
  • Diabetic retinopathy
  • Eye injury
  • Eye disease

The eye disorders associated with floaters are torn retina, eye tumors, bleeding in your vitreous, torn retina, detached retina, or inflamed vitreous or retina.

Treatment for eye floaters

Eye floaters can be annoying, but they shouldn’t be causing you vision problems. If they are, you need to see your doctor ASAP. Benign eye floaters rarely need medical attention. If eye floaters irritate you, try moving them out of your vision by shifting your eyes up and down and side to side. This will move the fluid back and forth.

If you have so many eye floaters that they obscure your vision, you may require a surgery called a vitrectomy. This involves your doctor replacing the vitreous with a salt solution.

Schedule an eye appointment

If you have concerns about eye floaters or if they are obscuring your vision, schedule a consultation today. At Aker Kasten Eye Center, we understand the importance of healthy vision and quality care. Call us at 561-338-7722 with any questions or concerns you may have about your eye health.