Floaters

[WPOZZZ]

Got one in my eye about an hour ago. Thought it was a cobweb in my hair. Nope. Then something stuck on my glasses. Nope. This is irritating as it moves around. I hope it goes away soon!

[pwd72s]

Do you have access to an ophthalmologist? Might be worth a visit...Probably nothing to worry about, but it is worth being checked out.

[WPOZZZ]

I'll call him tomorrow or text him. He is a good Pcar buddy of mine.

[Bill Douglas]

While on this very subject...

A week ago I had quite distinct vertical lines on the left side of my left eye. Otherwise all normal.

I didn't mention it to ex nurse GF in case she started talking about neurological blah blah and had me checked in. The next day or later on, the lines were gone. Do these lines mean anything?

[porsche tech]

I’m having floaters lately. Dr seems only worried if I see lightening type light or if it looks like a shade being pulled down. Apparently an indication of torn retina.

[IROC]

I developed a massive floater in my right eye a couple of years ago. I was freaking out, but after checking it out my eye doctor said it is relatively normal and to not be overly concerned. It affects my vision constantly (I can 'see' fine, but I am always aware of it) but I have gotten used to it and it is not that big of a deal now.

Part of growing old, I suppose.

[Chocaholic]

By the thread title I expected a little TMI about bathroom performance.

[A930Rocket]

I see things sometimes, but it’s only my imagination.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

I see things sometimes, but it’s only my imagination.

Yep. I look out my window and watch her as she passes by.

But I'll spare you all the details. Long story.

[wdfifteen]

I thought this thread was going to be about raising gold fish.

I would have it checked out, but my ophthalmologist says floaters are not dangerous. Do you see little specs floating in your eye? I get those along with the spider webs. My ophthalmologist says they are tiny droplets of blood. Apparently as you get older (damn I hate that phrase) blood leaks into the fluid in your eyes.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

While on this very subject...

A week ago I had quite distinct vertical lines on the left side of my left eye. Otherwise all normal.

I didn't mention it to ex nurse GF in case she started talking about neurological blah blah and had me checked in. The next day or later on, the lines were gone. Do these lines mean anything?

Those are usually from a migraine. I get them on occasion, but my head never hurts. It is just pressure on the optic nerve. It usually passes in 20 minutes or so.

[wdfifteen]

I get those Ocular Migranes almost every morning. More about them here:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/migraine-headache/expert-answers/ocular-migraine/faq-20058113

[Cairo94507]

I too got a large floater in my right eye about 2 months ago. A couple days later I went to my regular eye doctor who referred me to a retina specialist as an emergency referral. Turns out I had 6 small and 2 large holes in my retina. They used a laser to seal the holes right then. Don't mess around with eye issues- go see a professional.

[masraum]

I've been able to see floaters for decades. For me it's essentially the same as seeing dust in a digital photo. I normally only see them if I'm in a bright environment so my pupil has contracted down to its smallest. I most often see them when looking at a nice clear, bright sky or out of a window to a bright day.

Most of the time it's absolutely normal and not a big deal. But if this seems very unusual, especially if you're older and it persists unusually, then it wouldn't be a bad idea to get your eyes checked.

[masraum]

This is probably the closest approximation of how my floaters look, although I don't usually see this many at the same time. Sometimes it's just one or two tiny dots, sometimes it's one of the little squiggles that look like a little worm.

[matthewb0051]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

By the thread title I expected a little TMI about bathroom performance.

That's what I was thinking too. That and the toilets in Austria that have a little shelf north of the water, that you need to place some TP on in order to get things to flush down, otherwise you are flushing for several times.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by masraum

I've been able to see floaters for decades.

Since grade school for me. Some ones in play today at 66. Just lucky.

Looking forward to it getting worse.

[Crowbob]

Originally Posted by masraum

This is probably the closest approximation of how my floaters look, although I don't usually see this many at the same time. Sometimes it's just one or two tiny dots, sometimes it's one of the little squiggles that look like a little worm.

Those might be due to Vitreous Detachment:

https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/vitreous-detachment

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

Since grade school for me. Some ones in play today at 66. Just lucky.

Looking forward to it getting worse.

Yep, exactly. I remember them from way back when I was a kid.

Originally Posted by Crowbob

Those might be due to Vitreous Detachment:

https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/vitreous-detachment

My wife had vitreous detachment, and then a torn retina (likely caused by the detachment). I've noticed these (but not that many at once) for probably 40+ years. I get my eyes checked yearly, last time was 2-3 months ago and that includes high tech imaging and laser scans. I'm good.

Those are what normal floaters look like, although I don't know if that quantity is normal. I assume the quantity pictured is likely just to understand the sort of size/shape variations possible.

[Deschodt]

it's annoying we can replace hips and do Lasik and we cannot do *anything* about floaters... The laser stuff has scary side effects.. One methods empties the fluid and refills it with something else (no thank you, also not great numbers for results).. You'd think a nice "dissolving action" eyedrop would exist but not yet..

When mine irritate me, I move my eyes rapidly in one direction (and slowly back), swish stuff around.. do it a few times and it works for a bit, usually long enough to forget about them.