Anyone have eye floaters? SO annoying.

[luvwinnie]

DH has them and was told it was the "gelatinous" stuff...ick. I've had one in left eye since last week. Eye dr. is closed today. I hope to get in next week.

Found this:

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 <cataracts.htm> operations;
have had YAG laser surgery of the eye;
have had inflammation inside the eye.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

I've had them since I was little. I can usually ignore them, but if it's bright out they can be annoying.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

DH has them and was told it was the "gelatinous" stuff...ick. I've had one in left eye since last week. Eye dr. is closed today. I hope to get in next week.

Found this:

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 <cataracts.htm> operations;
have had YAG laser surgery of the eye;
have had inflammation inside the eye.

I had one for a few years. It's gone now, woohoo! VERY annoying.

 

[solferino]

I have one in my left eye that drives me crazy sometimes. They can provide entertainment while at a boring meeting though. It's like playing a guessing game and seeing whose head the floater will fall on next.

 

[ashjohnson80]

I get them with migraines. Usually start out as floaters and then grow to these huge aura things, then severe pain in my head. I've had them since I was 18 or 19.

 

[goofy's friends]

Uggh! Yes. My eye-dr. said they can't do anything about them. It mainly drives me crazy when looking at something solid white--like the wall in my shower every morning!!!

 

[lyzziesmom]

Yep, had them ever since I can remember. I used to think there were little amoebas swimming around in my eyes. Now I'm just used to them.

 

[hiwaygal]

I've got them...have had them for years.

 

[Feralpeg]

I've had them for awhile. About six months ago, I started having more. I was also seeing a bright flash occasionally in one eye. I went to the eye doctor and she told me that it was common as the gel substance pulled loose. It will separate for most people by the time they are 55. Mine is having a little more trouble doing this. She said that on rare occasions, it can stick to the retina and actually tear the retina as it pulls loose. If I start seeing a huge number of the floaters or a shower of bright sparks, I should get to an eye doctor right away because that would signal a retinal tear.

Isn't getting older fun?

 

[Pixiedust34]

Yes! In fact, I'm seeing a retina specialist on Tuesday. My eye with the floater has been slightly bloodshot, and at first I thought it could be allergies but the other eye has been OK and allergy meds & drops are not making an improvement.

I don't think my retina detatched, as my vision is OK and there's been no change in my floater, but I'm still very, very worried about my appointment next week. I could use your prayers and pixie dust that all is OK with my eyes. We have 51 days to go until WDW, and I hope that my eyes are OK and that my retina doesn't need surgery.

 

[luvwinnie]

Yes! In fact, I'm seeing a retina specialist on Tuesday. My eye with the floater has been slightly bloodshot, and at first I thought it could be allergies but the other eye has been OK and allergy meds & drops are not making an improvement.

I don't think my retina detatched, as my vision is OK and there's been no change in my floater, but I'm still very, very worried about my appointment next week. I could use your prayers and pixie dust that all is OK with my eyes. We have 51 days to go until WDW, and I hope that my eyes are OK and that my retina doesn't need surgery.

Prayers and PD coming your way!

 

[luvwinnie]

Isn't getting older fun?

And tomorrow is my birthday!! THis can't be a coincidence.

 

[Feralpeg]

Yes! In fact, I'm seeing a retina specialist on Tuesday. My eye with the floater has been slightly bloodshot, and at first I thought it could be allergies but the other eye has been OK and allergy meds & drops are not making an improvement.

I don't think my retina detatched, as my vision is OK and there's been no change in my floater, but I'm still very, very worried about my appointment next week. I could use your prayers and pixie dust that all is OK with my eyes. We have 51 days to go until WDW, and I hope that my eyes are OK and that my retina doesn't need surgery.

Did you see a shower of sparks? Do you have a dark shadow are veiled area in you eye? If not, you probably don't have a retinal tear. The doctor told me that I would see a shower of sparks and/or a veiled area if my retina tore.

I hope things are okay for you! Try not to worry!

 

[MosMom]

I know a few people who have definitely lost their vitreous humor.

 

[Diva of Dragons]

I know a few people who have definitely lost their vitreous humor.

I have had floaters since I was young. All white kitchens are the bane of my existence! LOL!! Most people have them to some extent, so I'm sure you are fine.

There is nothing you can do for them except have all of the vitreous humor removed form your eye. Then you sit around for 4-6 weeks without lifting your head. (You have to look at the floor) Then you have your lenses replaced because this process usually results in fast growing cataracts.

So, they don't perform this procedure unless the floaters are really extreme or the retina needs repair.

 

[suzimar57]

my DH gets them - and his father had them, too - wound up getting the lasik surgery - DH is supposed to see a retina specialist

 

[Patty3]

I have had the flashes of light and eye floaters. In fact, this started the day before we left for DW. While waiting to board our plane I called my opthamologist's office. They told me not to get on the plane and to come see them ASAP. I said no and they told me to find an opthamoligist in Orlando. A friend found one for me and I went to see him right from the airport. He was written up as one of the top doctors in the Orlando magazine. He and his staff were excellent. I do have a vitreous detachment but not a detached retina. The reason they want to see you right away is that if it is a detached retina you could potentially lose sight in that eye. This wonderful man told me that if I started to notice a curtain closing in my vision, that would be a sure sign of detachment and to come back and see him ASAP. Vitreous detachment as others have said comes with age. I asked him want I could do to prevent it and he jokingly said die.

 

[shoes99]

I'm 61 and have had floaters my entire adult life. I developed cataracts in both eyes, so the sent me to the retina specialist for clearance before my cataract surgery. I had the surgery, but I still have the floaters and then some. Now I have double vision and its the right eye....but I still have my floaters.

 

[Diva of Dragons]

How the heck did I double post this???

 

[Buckalew11]

I've had them since I was 21. The eye doctor said it was a sign of aging!
I have not been to the eye doctor since then and that was 21 years ago! I am going Monday morning because since turning 40 2 years ago, I am having trouble seeing far away. I expected close up to go first but things are pretty blurry in my world.