Ever rapidly blinked to see if you could remove small, black threads or cobweb-like shapes from drifting across your vision? These are eye floaters, a visual occurrence that pops up as a part of the natural aging process. While you may be concerned and wondering, “When should I worry about eye floaters,” the answer is that there’s usually nothing to fret about. To help put your mind at ease, let’s explore what they are, and the very specific instances in which you should get them checked out by a medical professional.
What Are Eye Floaters, Exactly?
What They Are
Why They Happen
The most common reason is from age. As you age, the vitreous humor begins to liquefy and clump together, casting tiny shadows on the retina that appear as different shapes. Other causes can include:
- Being nearsighted.
- Having diabetes, eye inflammation or infection.
- Having previous eye injuries or surgery or having bleeding inside the eye.
What Eye Floaters Look Like
When Are Eye Floaters Normal?
How Should I Know When To Worry About Eye Floaters?
While most eye floaters are benign, there are certain situations where new or worsening eye floaters could signal a more serious underlying condition.
1. A Sudden Onset/Increase In Eye Floaters. If you notice a sudden and significant increase in the number, size, or density of eye floaters, this could be a sign of a retinal tear or detachment.
2. Having Flashes of Light. If you experience sudden, frequent flashes of light in your peripheral vision, especially when accompanied by eye floaters, this is an emergency and requires an immediate evaluation.
a. PVD is a condition where the vitreous gel in the eye pulls away from the retina. While less severe than retinal detachment, it can cause a sudden onset of floaters and flashes of light and needs to be evaluated by an eye care professional.
3. A Loss Of Your Peripheral Vision. Your peripheral vision is the outer edges of your visual field. If you notice a shadow, curtain-like blurring or impaired peripheral vision, this may signify retinal detachment – seek care immediately.
a. Retinal detachment/tear occurs when the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, becomes separated from the underlying blood vessels that provide it with oxygen and nutrients, leading to a sudden loss of vision.
4. If you notice eye floaters with other symptoms like eye redness and pain, this could be from Uveitis which is an inflammation of the uvea, the middle layer of the eye.
What To Do If You’re Concerned About Eye Floaters?
Monitor Your Symptoms
Schedule an Eye Exam
If you are experiencing any concerning symptoms, schedule an eye exam. Brimhall Eye Center offers comprehensive examinations that can help determine the cause of your floaters and recommend appropriate treatment like eye floater removal.
Seek Immediate Help for Severe Symptoms
The Key Takeaway? Not Always An Emergency
Eye floaters are usually a normal, albeit annoying, part of aging and aren’t typically an emergency. But sudden changes or additional symptoms can indicate a more serious underlying issue that needs prompt evaluation. If you’re worried about eye floaters, contact us here at Brimhall Eye Center for a thorough evaluation and peace of mind.
