I usually see Floaters in front of my eyes, Do you?
Most eye floaters are caused by age-related changes that occur as the jelly-like substance (vitreous) inside your eyes liquifies and contracts. But… Floaters
Our eye is round and the cavity inside the eye is filled with an egg-white structure called vitreous. This structure is made of very fine fibers.
The very fine and very regular arrangement of these fibers makes this structure transparent like water. Thus, our eyes see the surroundings clearly.
In some cases, the order between these fibers is disrupted and the fibers become thick and visible.
Therefore, we perceive black dots, floaters, flies and strands of hair in front of our eyes. We see these more when we look at a white or bright background.
Is seeing floaters a sign of a disease?
Flies flying in front of the eyes can be a symptom of an important eye disease such as a retinal tear.
If retinal detachment is diagnosed early, it can be treated with laser. If treatment is delayed, it can lead to a more difficult to treat disease called retinal detachment, which can result in blindness.
Therefore, if we start to see objects flying in front of our eyes and if we see flashes of light, we should definitely be examined by an ophthalmologist immediately.
Is it only a retinal tear, are there other causes?
Some people complain that they see these objects in front of their eyes without any disease in their eyes.
These people have non-serious structural changes in the layer we call vitreous. Since there are changes in this layer during the aging process of the eye, we start to see these objects frequently as we get older.
Apart from that, especially myopes often complain about seeing these bodies.
Can it be seen in certain diseases?
Yes, it can. It can be seen in diseases that involve the eye and cause a reaction in the eye, such as uveitis. It can also be seen in diseases that can involve our whole body, such as diabetes.
Since these diseases may cause other damage to the eye, regular eye examinations are absolutely necessary.
Is There a Treatment?
Retinal tears are treated with laser when caught at an early stage. However, laser treatment does not treat floaters or flashes of light.
With laser treatment, we try to prevent the formation of retinal detachment. Since floaters usually do not bother people much, we do not apply any treatment.
However, if they are so many that they interfere with the person’s daily activities, we try to give the patient a clear vision by removing them with vitrectomy surgery. This surgery has risks such as retinal tear and cataract formation.
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