Introduction

Floaters or eye floaters are sometimes visible deposits within the eye's vitreous humour ("the vitreous"), which is normally transparent, or between the vitreous and retina. Each floater can be measured by its size, shape, consistency, refractive index, and motility. They are also called muscae volitantes (Latin for 'flying flies'), or mouches volantes (from the same phrase in French). The vitreous usually starts out transparent, but imperfections may gradually develop as one ages.

The common type of floater, present in most people's eyes, is due to these degenerative changes of the vitreous. The perception of floaters, which may be annoying or problematic to some people, is known as myodesopsia or less commonly, as myodaeopsia, myiodeopsia, or myiodesopsia. It is not often treated, except in severe cases, where vitrectomy (surgery), laser vitreolysis, and medication may be effective.

Symptoms of eye floaters

Small shapes in your vision that appear as dark specks or knobby, transparent strings of floating material, Spots that move when you move your eyes, so when you try to look at them, they move quickly out of your visual field, Spots that are most noticeable when you look at a plain bright background, such as a blue sky or a white wall and Small shapes or strings that eventually settle down and drift out of the line of vision.

Causes

Most floaters are small flecks of a protein called collagen. They’re part of a gel-like substance in the back of your eye called the vitreous. As you age, the protein fibers that make up the vitreous shrink down to little shreds that clump together. The shadows they cast on your retina are floaters. If you see a flash, it’s because the vitreous has pulled away from the retina. If the floaters are new or dramatically changed or you suddenly start seeing flashes, see your eye doctor ASAP. These changes can happen at any age, but usually occur between 50 and 75. You’re more likely to have them if you’re nearsighted or have had cataract surgery.

Risk factors

Factors that can increase your risk of floaters include: Age over 50, Nearsightedness, Eye trauma, Complications from cataract surgery, Diabetic retinopathy and Eye inflammation. Something that might resemble a floater is the visual aura that can come with a migraine headache. It could look like what you see when you put your eye to a kaleidoscope. It might even move. It’s different from the floaters and flashbulb type “flashes” that come with other eye problems. This usually lasts a few minutes and may involve the vision in both eyes. But then it completely resolves unless you have another episode.

Treatment

Benign ones almost never require medical treatment. If they annoy you, try to get them out of your field of vision. Move your eyes this shifts the fluid around. Look up and down, that usually works better than side to side. If you have so many that they block your vision, your eye doctor may suggest surgery called a vitrectomy. They’ll remove the vitreous and replace it with a salt solution.

The Ophthalmologist: Clinical and Therapeutic Journal invites different types of articles including original research article, review articles, short note communications, case reports, Editorials, letters to the Editors and expert opinions & commentaries from different regions for publication. A standard editorial manager system is utilized for manuscript submission, review, editorial processing and tracking which can be securely accessed by the authors, reviewers and editors for monitoring and tracking the article processing.

Manuscripts can be uploaded directly through mail id: ophthalmologist@eclinicalsci.com 

Online Submission: https://www.pulsus.com/submissions/ophthalmologist-clinical-therapeutic-journal.html

Media Contact
Sarah Rose
Journal Manager
The Ophthalmologist: Clinical and Therapeutic Journal
Email: ophthalmologist@eclinicalsci.com