Floaters, or persistent specks or flashes in your eye, might simply be a nuisance or the sign of a more serious problem. At Suburban Eye Associates in Huntingdon Valley, Jenkintown, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, highly trained optometrists and ophthalmologists complete comprehensive eye exams to determine the underlying cause of floaters and prevent complications. If you have eye floaters, schedule an eye exam with Suburban Eye Associates by phone today.
Eye floaters are spots in your field of vision. They might appear as strings, cobwebs, or gray or black specks in your eye that drift around when you try to look at them. In some cases, floaters can indicate a serious condition requiring immediate medical attention. See your eye doctor if you have sudden increases in floaters or vision changes.
Often eye floaters are simply a nuisance, but in some cases, they can signal a serious problem. See your doctor right away if you experience peripheral vision loss, flashes of light with floaters, or a sudden increase in floaters. These symptoms can indicate a retinal tear or retinal detachment, which can lead to blindness if left untreated.
Some common causes of eye floaters include:
Risk factors associated with developing floaters include eye trauma, nearsightedness, being over age 50, diabetic eye problems, and cataract surgery complications.
To diagnose eye floaters and develop a treatment plan, your eye doctor reviews your symptoms and medical history. They complete a comprehensive dilated eye exam to view the back part of your eyes and determine the root cause of your floaters.
If the cause of floaters doesn’t pose a risk to your vision, treatment isn’t necessary. However, if you have a lot of floaters that affect your vision or retinal damage, your provider might recommend:
Vitrectomy is surgery to remove vitreous gel in your eye and floating debris. Your eye doctor replaces the vitreous with a special solution to maintain your eye’s shape.
Your provider can use a laser to break up floaters and make them less obvious. They review the risks and benefits of the procedure with you prior to treatment.
If a retinal tear or detachment is the underlying cause of floaters, your eye doctor might use a laser or cryopexy (freezing) to create scar tissue and repair the tear. In the case of retinal detachment, your provider might recommend injections or surgical procedures.
Don’t live with floaters if they negatively affect your vision or are linked with a retinal tear or detachment. Call to schedule an eye exam with the experts at Suburban Eye Associates today.
