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Eye Floater Treatment for Largo, St. Petersburg, FL & Clearwater
Eye floaters are spots or thin strings that appear in your field of vision. They may remain in the same spot or drift aimlessly. If you try to move your eyes to look directly at them, they seem to dash away.
Floaters are harmless, resulting from changes in the vitreous, the gel-like fluid that fills your eyes. As we age, microscopic fibers in the vitreous clump together and cast shadows on the retina. It’s these shadows that you see as floaters. You may also see occasional flashes of light.
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Signs And Symptoms for Eye Floaters
If floating strings, spots or occasional flashes are all you see, you do not need to worry. If you see any of the following signs, then a more serious condition could be developing.
- A veil that seems to obscure part of the vision
- Any overall decrease in vision
- Sudden increase in the number of floaters
These signs could indicate that the vitreous is shrinking somewhat, a situation that can result in retinal tears or retinal detachment. It’s also possible to develop so many floaters that one’s eyesight is impaired. Either of these situations requires immediate eye floaters treatment.
How To Get Rid Of Eye Floaters
If floaters get serious enough to impair vision, then vitrectomy surgery for floaters may be required. In this surgery, a tiny drain is placed in the eye and the vitreous is removed and replaced with sterile saline solution. This eliminates the floaters present in the vitreous.
More serious signs may indicate that the retina has torn or is detaching from the back of the eye. In that case, laser surgery may be used to repair it.
Regular eye examinations, especially when you are over forty years of age, are important to enable you to know whether floaters or any other signs are serious or harmless. If you need an examination or you know you have a condition that requires treatment, please visit our institute in Largo, Florida for excellent care in a friendly and caring environment. Please call us at 727-202-2020 to schedule an appointment or ask questions about our care.
Common questions about eye floaters
When should I worry about eye floaters?
Contact an eye doctor right away if you notice a sudden increase in floaters, a shadow or veil covering part of your vision, or any overall drop in your vision. These changes can mean the gel inside the eye is shrinking and pulling on the retina, which can lead to a retinal tear or detachment. A few floaters that have been around for a while, with no other changes, are usually harmless.
Do eye floaters go away on their own?
Many floaters become less noticeable over time as they settle out of your direct line of sight and your brain learns to tune them out. Most floaters are harmless and do not need treatment. If they are numerous enough to interfere with your vision, or new ones suddenly appear, an exam is the only way to know whether treatment is needed.
What causes flashes of light in my vision?
Flashes often happen when the gel inside the eye tugs on the retina, which becomes more common as that gel shrinks with age. An occasional flash is usually harmless, but a sudden burst of new flashes, especially with new floaters or a shadow over your vision, can be a sign of a retinal tear. Only an eye exam can show what is causing them.
Who treats retina conditions at St. Michael’s
Retina care at St. Michael’s Eye & Laser Institute in Largo, Florida is led by Dr. Dana Deupree, MD, FASRS, a board-certified, fellowship-trained retina specialist, and Dr. Oren Plous, MD, a fellowship-trained vitreoretinal ophthalmologist. They treat macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal tears and detachments, floaters and other conditions of the retina and vitreous.
