The Dangers of Eye Floaters: When to Worry

Okay so do you see drifting spots in your vision  that look like this? Perhaps they appear more  

like strands and cobwebs that look like this?  Well if so then there's a good chance that what  

you are seeing are eye floaters. Eye floaters  are actually a very common thing to experience  

especially as we get older however they can  also be a major warning sign that something  

more serious is going on with the eye so in  today's video we're going to break down what  

causes eye floaters and when you need to worry  and call your eye doctor as soon as possible.

But first what are eye floaters. Technically  there are several different types of eye  

floaters but the most common ones that  people see and experience are vitreous  

floaters. Vitreous floaters are small clumps and  strands of collagen proteins that get stuck and  

suspended in the gel-like structure in the  back of the eye called the vitreous humor.  

When you are in a bright environment such as  going outside or staring at a brightly lit  

computer screen the light causes your pupils to  constrict and that light then casts a shadow of  

those collagen proteins onto the retina in the  back of the eye and that's when you experience  

these floaters. Again these types of floaters  become more common as we get older just like  

the collagen in our skin begins to change  with age so does the collagen within the  

eye but some people can develop eye floaters much  earlier usually people who are nearsighted like  

myself or people who have had some form  of eye surgery such as cataract surgery.

Now if you're seeing just a few of these  drifting spots and strands in your vision  

moving around yeah they can be annoying  but thankfully they are usually not a  

major health concern and not a reason  to call your eye doctor right away.  

However there is a time when seeing  new floaters can be way more serious.

So when should you contact a doctor about seeing  new eye floaters. Well when the gel inside the  

eye begins to degrade the outer layer of the  collagen called the vitreous cortex begins  

to peel away from the back of the eye something  that we call a posterior vitreous detachment or  

a PVD. Thankfully this usually occurs without  any real consequence except a lot of people  

report suddenly seeing a very large floater in  their vision. But what can occasionally happen is  

that as the gel peels away from the back of the  eye it can sometimes pull or tug on the retinal  

tissue which some people experience as a bright  flash of light off to one side of their vision.  

But if the pulling and tugging create a tear or  hole in the retina fluid can get through that  

hole and start lifting the retina off the back  of the eye which we call a retinal detachment.

Retinal detachments are considered a medical  emergency because if they progress and are  

left untreated they can result in permanent  vision loss and blindness. The symptoms of a  

retinal tear or detachment usually come on  quite quickly and here's what to look for.  

Any new or sudden onset of floaters like  suddenly seeing 20 new floaters in your  

vision. Flashes of light as mentioned  earlier. Any amount of dark shadows or  

curtains coming down from the sides of  your vision or even directly in front  

of you. If you're experiencing any of these  symptoms it's crucial to call your eye doctor  

as soon as possible even if it's just to get them  checked out and make sure everything is okay.

Now if a hole or a tear has formed then your  doctor will likely refer you to see a retina  

specialist who may be able to use a laser to  zap and seal the holes or tears to prevent a  

retinal detachment. If a retinal detachment  has already started to form a retina surgeon  

will likely need to schedule you for a  more invasive procedure to repair it and  

prevent further progression. Thankfully retina  surgeons are highly trained and very good at  

what they do but the sooner the detachment is  diagnosed and treated the better the outcomes.

Now there are different types of eye floaters  out there and other conditions that can cause  

floating spots in your vision. Some of the  more serious causes include eye infections,  

eye injuries, or uveitis which is a severe  form of inflammation inside the eye.  

However these conditions usually occur alongside  redness or pain in the eye and I think most people  

if they are experiencing redness or pain know  to call their eye doctor and get checked out.

One lesser-known but serious cause of eye floaters  is bleeding inside the eye. This usually does not  

cause pain or redness but it can still be a  major issue. People at the highest risk for  

bleeding inside the eye are those with diabetes.  So if you are experiencing any new floaters  

your eyes are red and painful or you know  you're at a higher risk such as being  

diabetic then it’s a good idea to call  your eye doctor and get things checked.

Now hopefully you are not experiencing any of  these urgent symptoms but if you are seeing  

floaters and find them super annoying then check  out this video coming up right over here where we  

go over various treatments currently available as  well as some exciting new treatments that are in  

research. Otherwise guys Dr. Allen here keep an  eye on it and we'll see you in the next video.