Floater is the term used to describe the small moving spots which can appear within a person’s field of vision. They tend to be more noticeable when looking at bright objects like blue sky or white paper. Floaters tend to move that means if you attempt to focus on them, they will fly out of your vision. What are floaters? Do floaters go away? Floaters can appear as gray or black specks, cobwebs or strings which drift when moving the eye. They are caused by age-related changes which take place as the vitreous (jelly-like substance) in the eye becomes increasingly liquid. This causes the microscopic fibers within to clump together leading to tiny shadows appearing on the retina. These are the floaters.
Do Floaters Go Away?
Eye floaters will decrease in both darkness and size as time passes. This means that over timethey will become less bothersome. It is still possible, however, that they will not completely disappear unless they are treated. There are three main processes that lead to their gradual disappearance:
- The floater will be slowly absorbed by the natural processes of eyes;
- Floaters can shift their position in the eyewhich may lead to a smaller shadow effect and less of a problem;
- Sometimes the nerves of the brain will get used to eye floaters, adapting to their presence.
When to See a Doctor
Although floaters are usually harmless, if the following conditions occur, you should visit your doctor:
- Floaters greatly interfere your daily life and make you worry;
- There is pain in addition to floaters;
- Floaters occur after eye trauma or eye surgery;
- Floaters are accompanied by vision loss or flashes of light;
- Floaters get worse over the course of time, particularly if this occurs suddenly.
How to Make Floaters Go Away
We get a positive answer to "do floaters go away?" Now we should learn to take measures to make them go away. Sometimes floaters will actually impair your vision. Although rare, a floater may be large enough or they may be numerous enough to make it hard to do daily tasks. When this occurs, your doctor may suggest one of the following treatment options.
- Laser therapy. Laser therapy involves the ophthalmologist aiming a special laser at your floaters within the vitreous. This laser breaks up the floaters, decreasing the extent to which they are less noticeable. Some of those who try laser therapy will see improvement in vision, while others don’t see much (or any) change. Risks include damage to the retina when the laser isn’t pointed correctly. This treatment is seen as experimental, and not used frequently.
- Vitrectomy procedure. This surgery involves the ophthalmologist making a tiny incision in the eye to remove your gel-like vitreous. Then they place a solution within the eye to keep its shape. Over time your body will produce fluid to fill your eye and replace the solution. This doesn’t always remove all floaters and doesn’t prevent the formation of new floaters. Besides, it may cause retinal tears and bleeding.
Why Do I Have Floaters?
Rather than knowing "do floaters go away?" why not find out the causes of floaters and try to reduce the risk of getting floaters. There are a range of reasons that you may develop eye floaters. These can include the following:
1. Aging
Eye floaters are most commonly due to changes in the eyes, particularly those within the vitreous as you age. The vitreous will change in consistency and partially liquefies which make it shrink and pull away from the eyeball’s interior surface. While the vitreous sags and shrinks, it will also clump and get a bit stringy. Some of this debris will block light that passes through your eye, leaving tiny shadows casting on the retina.
2. Eye Inflammation
One type of inflammation of the eye is posterior uveitiswhich involves the uvea’s layers near the back portion of your eye. This inflammation may lead to eye floaters and can be caused by a variety of reasons, such as inflammatory diseases or infection.
3. Bleeding in the Eye
The term vitreous hemorrhage refers to bleeding that occurs in or enters the vitreous of the eye. This bleeding can be brought about by a wide range of causes, including blood vessel problems and injury.
4. Retinal Tears
Retinal tears may take place if the sagging vitreous creates a tug on your retina using enough force so that it tears in the process. Retinal tears may lead to new floaters appearing within your vision. If it is not treated, retinal tears can cause retinal detachment, in which the fluid accumulating behind your retina leads itto separate from the back portion of the eye. If untreated, retinal detachment may lead to permanent loss of vision.
The following video shows us three kinds of floaters as well as their causes and treatments: