Floaters

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DesFIP -> Floaters (6/8/2011 5:46:03 AM)
I've developed one of these in my left eye. Out of the blue the other day, no trauma to the eye. And no flashes of light so probably not a detaching retina. I'm seeing the opthalmologist next week just to make sure since I've got an implant in it. But going on the assumption that it really is just a floater, anybody else have any advice? Do you get used to it? It's really annoying, like trying to see through a clump of mascara on the lashes.

mnottertail -> RE: Floaters (6/8/2011 5:50:30 AM)
Yep, just ignore it and it floats away. Focus on it and you keep it locked in the vitreous fluid where you see it and it gets to be redundant, redundant, redundant, redundant. I have had floaters since long as I remember, pretty much everybody does. Quit obsessing and give me some head.

LadyConstanze -> RE: Floaters (6/8/2011 6:08:04 AM)
Des, I had my eyes lasered about 10 years ago, ever since I occasionally have problems with floaters, problems is a bit much, more just like a mild annoyance. You mention an implant, that could have something to do with it.

DesFIP -> RE: Floaters (6/8/2011 6:25:16 AM)
The implants almost 12 years old so shouldn't be related to that. I know they're more frequent with the aging process. Unfortunately my surgeon's on vacation for the next month so I have to see someone else. I'm more obsessing that they'll announce I need an immediate operation and I don't know anything about the other surgeon in the practice.

mnottertail -> RE: Floaters (6/8/2011 6:51:11 AM)
Floaters can be treated with lasers, or sort of pumping out the vitreous fluid and sieving it. The second causes complications 50% of the time, the laser is only responsible for 8% complications or so. Unless this goober is more than an inconvientient nuiscance, time to time. They wont do anything anyway.

Termyn8or -> RE: Floaters (6/8/2011 8:23:23 AM)
FR I asked my opthalmologist about it and she said it isn't worth the trouble. That is too many things can go wrong. In fact I got a new one up under the cornea after the cataract surgery that is more annoying than the rest. It's not all that bad when you have two good eyes, as one sees what the other does not. Like the blind spot we all have, as long as they're not in the same place in your field of vision. Your doc is probably going to say the same thing. Pumping that vitreous out, even a little bit will decrease the pressure enough that it just invites retinal damage, probably due to hemorrage(s). If it's one really large one they can probably break it up with the old YAG laser. A much better option. T^T

windchymes -> RE: Floaters (6/8/2011 10:13:01 AM)
I had a really dark floater in one eye maybe 9 or 10 yrs ago? That damn thing was so dark and kept swooping in from the side, that I thought it was an insect flying at me, and I kept swatting at it, but nothing there. I got a lot of strange looks, lol. It went away eventually.

hausboy -> RE: Floaters (6/8/2011 2:20:51 PM)
Here is a link on the subject of floaters from the National Eye Institute--good questions & answers. http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/floaters/floaters.asp

Aileen1968 -> RE: Floaters (6/8/2011 7:15:56 PM)
Hahahahaha! I thought of a completely different thing when I saw the title of the thread.

windchymes -> RE: Floaters (6/8/2011 8:55:19 PM)
You would, tubgirl [:D]

BendingGender -> RE: Floaters (6/8/2011 9:21:54 PM)
Out of curiosity... if you try to look directly at the spot where you're seeing it... does it actually seem to float out of your field of vision? When my sister and I were younger she thought it was hilarious to try to turn a flashlight in my direction, or take photos with a camera that had a flash. So I'd become quite familiar with the ones that seem to be caused by bright light exposure. But I noticed a few years back that I'd developed one that seemed to be stationary. I can stare straight at it and it doesn't try to wander. I've been told that it's a very, very small cataract. And that I should forget about it for another 20 years or so - unless it starts to get larger and/or obscures my vision.

Termyn8or -> RE: Floaters (6/9/2011 1:43:02 AM)
If it's a cataract it is something else. If it is clearly defined and inside the eye it is close to the retina. Some floaters are actually pieces of the retina that have detached. In those cases they might have an ever so small fiber still connecting them to the retina which will limit where they can float, possibly in an inconvenient position. The vitreous is gel like, semiliquid like jelly. Things do move but not easily. When they stay put they get annoying. When you age, your vitreous increases in viscosity, that is it becomes thicker, like grease instead of oil. The floaters stabilise in a certain position and move VERY slowly out of that position in your field of vision. And the closer to the retina the worse the effect. However, if a floater were to actually land on the retina and stick, your brain will compensate just as it does for the innate blind spot we all have. When it moves around, that is the problem. They never go away on their own, but if they get stuck in the middle somewhere away from the retina they are practically unnoticable, because they are not at the focal point. Think of a movie projector, put your hand near the screen, which is a focal point, and you get a nice clear, well defined shadow. But do it halfway betweent the projector and screen it would be hard to even notice. All the coherent beams of light are pretty much there and your hand is totally out of focus. Just a soft blur. The film is at the other end of the focal length, and you are not likely to get your hand in there. But your eyes move all the time and as long as that jelly has not yet solidified, the floaters will move where they are propelled. That is mainly by eye movements. You would think that centripetal force would throw the floaters to the edges, but it simply doesn't work that way. For like twenty grand an eye, you can take the risk. You might not lose completely and be blind, but after some retinal hemorrage you might be worse off than when you started. And remember, doctors practice, so they get paid even if the procedure fails. Taking all that into account, even with my quite bad floater situation, I choose not to take the risk. At my age, fuckit. T^T

DesFIP -> RE: Floaters (6/18/2011 8:55:34 PM)
It's attached to the retina still, so I have to go back in a month. In the meantime, no jumping or running or anything that could jar it into detaching the retina.

Termyn8or -> RE: Floaters (6/19/2011 11:51:09 AM)
I think a month is a bit long for something like this. If they're saying not to jump or run, apparently it has some mass and could cause further retinal damage. You know if you put a gun to my head I would laugh in your face, but being blind is one of the very few things in this world that I actually FEAR. T^T

Aswad -> RE: Floaters (6/24/2011 7:23:12 AM)
Even retinal detachment isn't the end of the world. Most of the time, early repair will fix it fine. As for the floaters themselves, an up to date prescription will help your visual system compensate, unless it's in the far left or far right part of your field of vision (we don't have redundant coverage there) or over the area that takes care of the opposing blind spot (same problem). As a rule, they will settle if you keep the eye still for a while, making them a lot less noticeable. So far, there are no commercially available techniques that will reliably destroy them without risking harm to the eye. Hopefully, that will change, since it's actually a pretty simple thing to do, but things take time.

DesFIP -> RE: Floaters (6/24/2011 8:59:37 AM)
Aswad, the odds of repair when you've already had cataract surgery is significantly lower than in people who haven't. That's the problem here. They're hoping it will come away neatly without tearing inside of a month. Plus my doctor, who is the surgeon who did both eyes, is away on vacation visiting family and I really don't want to let anyone else operate on me.

sunshinemiss -> RE: Floaters (6/24/2011 9:59:08 AM)
Aswad, Now there's a wonderful surprise. Dang. You are still as fine as the day is long. And I bet you still have that spicy brain that leaves all the girls panting. sunshine

Aswad -> RE: Floaters (6/24/2011 11:12:08 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: DesFIP Aswad, the odds of repair when you've already had cataract surgery is significantly lower than in people who haven't. That's the problem here. My apologies, I wasn't aware of that. quote: ORIGINAL: sunshinemiss So long as they're not planning on eating it, that's a good thing. [:D] Looking good yourself, too. And not just the petals. [;)] Health.

sunshinemiss -> RE: Floaters (6/24/2011 11:18:42 AM)
:: thud :: Aswad - in the first sunny crush triumverate...

mummyman321 -> RE: Floaters (6/24/2011 11:55:32 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: DesFIP It's attached to the retina still, so I have to go back in a month. In the meantime, no jumping or running or anything that could jar it into detaching the retina. I guess staying tied up with a blindfold on is really not an option for taking it easy?[8D]

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