Eye floaters, are medically referred to as muscae volitantes. They are thought to be small specks of floating matter resembling cobwebs appearing to float in one's area of vision. They are tiny and normally dart around swiftly with the shift in gaze. At times, they also appear as spots or strands, not unlike threads. Eye floaters tend to trail your movements and will generally calm down when the eye stops moving as well. Eye floaters occur when the vitreous (a substance like a gel that is a clear and colorless transparent jelly filling the posterior chamber of the eyeball) that is responsible for maintaining the shape and filling out about 80 % of the eye, begins to shrink as you grow older. It goes on to become stringy and causes small dark shadows to be cast on the retina. People who are diabetic or have undergone cataract surgery are more likely to be affected.
Most people afflicted with eye floaters get used to living with them. Usually they tend to appear and disappear with only minor irritation. However, it is possible that this condition can cause you to lose all or some of your peripheral vision. In addition to this you may begin to see white spots or lights. This is indicative of retinal detachment, a serious problem, for which you need to seek urgent medical assistance. You may even lose vision in the affected eye if you do not seek medical assistance immediately. Another possibility is when a portion of the vitreous is pulled away from the retina, leading to the sudden appearance of several string floaters. While this may be slightly painful, it will calm down after some time. Even though you might be alarmed by this sudden development, it usually settles on its own as there is no treatment for this.
It is best to leave the majority of the floaters alone. You may consider some eye drops or herbal remedies like ganoderma tea or herbal tea for eye floaters, but remember to consult your doctor before doing so. Bear in mind that there are no conclusive studies that any of these remedies will work and they may perhaps only camouflage the true nature of the affliction.
Whether surgery is recommended for you can only be determined by your doctor. It is true that surgeries can eliminate floaters, but it is important to note that it is not recommended for all individual with this condition. Floaters can be eliminated by a laser or minimum invasive surgery especially if there has been an abnormal appearance of vitreous or if they are causing serious vision deficiencies. There are risks associated with this type of surgery as with any other. The majority of eye specialists are of the opinion that these surgeries should be avoided due to the risks and side effect of post-surgery involved in the condition. It is best that you seek the advice of your doctor and accordingly decide on your next course of action.
answered by G M