I’m curious if I am at risk having floaters in the eye. Does stress cause floaters in the eyes?

Carmen

Chicago, IL

Hi Carmen! The fact is, anybody is at risk having a floater in the eye.  To tell you the truth, everybody at some point in their lives will develop floaters in the eye because as people age, the wearing and tearing on all parts of the body due to the aging process will take its toll including the most delicate parts of the eyes.  If you are near-sighted or had an eye cataract and had it operated on, then you have a much higher chance of contracting an eye floater or two, because these eye conditions may change or damage the blood vessels and the vitreous humor or the jelly like substance surrounding the eye.

Eye diseases such as chronic eye infections and eye inflammations may also cause floaters in the eye. Same as with playing active sports so in a way, depending on how you define stress in your question, it can also cause floaters in the eye. As a safety measure, you should wear safety goggles when participating in rigorous activities to prevent eye injury.

You don’t have to worry that much about floaters in the eye. For some, they are just a mere annoyance and in some cases, they even disappear over time. The human brain also plays a funny trick with floaters in the eye once you get used to them. What the brain does is it ignores the floaters and you won’t see nor notice them as much.

Floaters in the eye causes as you can see come from various health conditions.  Probably one of the best floaters in the eye treatment is an organic diet of fruits and vegetables.  To get enough of the needed organic fruits and vegetables to put you body in healing mode is to juice and blend all your product.   You should probably get your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist because various vascular problems such as diabetic retinopathy and retinal hemorrhages are the main causes of the appearance of multiple floaters in the eye and can cause more serious problems such as blindness and permanent vision loss if left untreated.  Detoxing your body by juicing and blending organinc fruits and vegetables can possible reverse this and any other problems your body may be having….giving it the tools it needs to heal its self is probably what we need most.

Again floaters in the eye are generally harmless, but if they are giving you problems go get those eye floaters checked out.

I’m an office secretary and part of my job is to be in front of the computer most of the time. I noticed that I keep seeing these “spots” when I’m staring at any clear or white backgrounds. I’ve searched the internet and I think they’re what you call floaters in the eye. I’m just curious. Does staying in front of the computer cause floaters in the eye?

Audra

Houston, TX

Most people actually believe that using the computer for long periods of time can cause floaters in the eye. While we really don’t know all the reasons why floaters in the eye occur, one thing is evident and certain. Using computers, just like watching TV or reading for long periods of time can surely cause eye-strain. And when eyes are strained, it is more likely that they notice floaters if you already have it. Looking at bright objects such as the sun, using the computer, or watching TV can also cause after-image effects which some people associate with floaters in the eye. The truth is, you really don’t have to worry because these things have no real connection in the formation of eye floaters.

Now you know that it’s safe to use the computer or watch TV for as much as you want, there is no reason why you should ignore proper care for your eyes. This will not only be beneficial to prevent floaters in the eye, these tips will also help you prevent serious and severe eye complications in the future.

1. The bigger, the better – if you are using the computer frequently, get a big monitor and increase the text size and brightness until you can see the texts clearly and easily. If you are having difficulty to read, get the proper eyeglasses with the right grade from your optometrist.

2. Look at things naturally – the computer monitor must be below your eye level so you’re looking down to see it. If you’re monitor’s high, you will be staring at it directly or above your eye level which can cause eye strain in the long run.

3. Lighting is everything – sufficient lighting is important so that you can see everything easily. Add USB-powered lights if you’re using a laptop and a desk lamp if you’re using a desktop.

4. Rest your eyes – Sit near a window and rest your eyes frequently by staring at far-away objects.

I have a history of retinal detachment so I know I am prone to having eye floaters. What can I do to prevent them?

Nancy
Las Vegas, NV

Hi Nancy, good question! Since you know that eye floaters don’t have a known cure, it is wise to prevent or reduce the risk that they will happen. These floaters are caused by micro retinal hemorrhage of the blood vessels behind the eye. After the bleeding stops, the blood clot detaches from the blood vessel and “float” within the vitreous humor of the eye. The gel-like clot is not really floating for it is inside the eye and can be quite a nuisance if it is ever stuck in your field of vision. Usually, the brain helps the eyes adapt from eye floaters and you would only see them if you concentrate see it. Luckily, there are ways to lessen the risk of having eye floaters and here’s a few:

1. If you have zinc and copper deficiency, you have a higher chance of getting eye floaters. Get a check up from a doctor once in a while and see if you have enough zinc and copper levels in the body.

2. Eat lots of foods which contain Rutin. Rutin is a molecule of Vitamin C and it helps to fortify cell to cell connections in the body. This in turn helps prevent the quick wear and tear of all blood vessels in the whole body. Although Rutin can be bought in pharmacies and health stores, it is best to get it the natural way. Eat citrus fruits, cook foods which require citrus fruit’s rind, or eat buckwheat. They are all high in Rutin and can help prevent eye floaters.

3. People with high blood pressure are more prone to eye floaters since they require medicines which have blood thinners such as aspirin and Tylenol. To prevent these, eat right and live right. Preventing the core problem is usually the best cure.

I believe I have these so called “floaters” on my right eye and I’m getting quite annoyed with it. How will I be able remove them?

Darla,

Los Angeles, CA

Hello Darla. These so-called “eye floaters”, as we call them, have many different causes which may range from natural aging or when the wear and tear in the retina causes vitreous syneresis, being a symptom of eye abnormality such as near sightedness, injuries from eye surgery after a cataract surgery, laser surgery, Toxoplasmosis, and Tubercolosis; eye tumors due which is associated with leukemia and lymphoma, and eye infections due to diabetes. Floaters are classified depending to their causes.

Eye floaters are not dangerous so you don’t have to worry about them. But it is annoying for people who have them because it is more difficult for them to do everyday tasks such as driving or staring at something plain such as a white wall or a clear blue sky. Some eye floaters reduce in size and visibility over time and they may also move around the eye and can be a relief if it happens to get out of your field of vision. The shapes and colors of eye floaters may vary from being dark spots, thin lines, foggy and irregular, to being transparent streaks. Furthermore, the highly adaptive human brain becomes used to the eye floaters and there are times you will forget that you have them.

Although there are no medically tried and tested methods to remove floaters, there are certain vitamins, herbs, and iodine-based products which have been believed to reduce their effect. Unfortunately, there are no known oral or eye drop medications to fully cure floaters. If your case is a serious one, some doctors may suggest vitrectomy but it can be quite expensive.

I was 45 when I started seeing these floaters in my left eye. What’s the deal with these things? My ophthalmologist told me that there’s nothing she can do. I’m getting desperate and I want them removed because they just seem to get worse! Can I have them removed through laser surgery?

Harvey
Miami, FL

I feel for you Harvey. According to statistics, eye floaters are a major nuisance to the general population. Especially common to older people who suffer from connective tissue disorders, eye floaters in general are not harmful for your health. It’s just pretty annoying to have them in the eyes because it is something we are not used to.

Eye floaters start at the back of the eyes upon the rupturing of blood vessels. As the blood clots, it goes straight to the vitreous humor of the eyes and just stays there. They get smaller as time goes by and before you know it, you will only see little specks of black, somewhat translucent or transparent marks in your field of vision. Now, I am not sure how you incurred eye floaters because their main causes vary but you could have prevented them by having the right knowledge and know how before they even occurred.

I know it could be irritating, even despairing for people to have eye floaters. But sadly, there are no known cures for eye floaters. Having a laser eye surgery can further damage the blood vessels in the eyes and can even cause the build-up of more eye floaters. I believe even your doctors will advise you the same thing. There are certain products which is said to help reduce the effects of having eye floaters but there is no conventional cure for it. As for those people who have a really severe case of eye floaters, vitrectomy is often suggested by doctors but it is quite pricey. Hope I helped you in any way.