Aging creates a variety of issues that take place inside your eye. One of the common ones is small clouds, floaters or specs that seem to float across your field of vision. You are most likely to notice these flecks, or spots in your eyes between the ages of 50 and 75, especially in people who are very nearsighted or have had cataract surgery. While they are not harmful, they can be somewhat annoying.
They tend to be most noticed when you are reading, looking at white backgrounds such as walls, or while you are gazing at the clouds. Most of the time people learn to live with eye floaters and ignore them. Actually, they sometimes improve over months to years. Only rarely do benign eye floaters become bothersome enough to consider treatment.
What Causes Floaters or Specs?
It may appear that these spots or specs are on the front surface of your eye, but they are actually inside your eye.
Most eye floaters are caused by small flecks of a protein called collagen. The back part of the eye is filled with a gel-like substance called vitreous humor. As you age, the vitreous and its millions of fine collagen fibers shrink and become shred-like. Shreds can accumulate in the vitreous. This can cause a change in the amount of light that hits the retina. This tissue located in the back part of the eye is very light sensitive. This change causes the symptoms of eye floaters.
When Should You Seek Medical Attention?
A sudden increase in floaters or spots can be an indication that something is happening to your retina (the inner back tissue of the eyeball). You could be experiencing vitreous detachments or a detached retina, which must be diagnosed and treated.
Other signs that there may be a more serious problem is if you experience flashes of light, vision loss or you have pain along with the eye floaters.
Dr. Lisa Bunin specializes in treatment in all diseases of the eyes. She has patients seeking her expertise from all over the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania and beyond. If you experience any changes in your vision, don’t take chances with your eyesight. Call and schedule an appointment today. 610-435-5333