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Answers to Readers' Questions on Health:
Floaters
The following 54 comments and questions have been sent in. They are listed according to date.
List of first 10 items
- Does botox cause floaters?
- I could see image of bright light afterwards
- Has floaters in eyes and anxiety disorder
- Are floaters caused by stress?
- 5-year old noticed a floater
- Worried about floaters starting a month ago
- Sees shadows after surgery
- Had detached retina and still see spots
- Has tv snow symptom in vision
- Have been seeing floaters for 2 years now
Does botox cause floaters?
Question
September 12, 2009
I am a very healthy (no meds) 54 year old female. I had botox 3 years ago in my forhead and developed temporary ptosis for a few weeks. The next day I noticed a few floaters. But they went away. A year later I had botox again with the same ptosis and more floaters. They also disappeared because I forgot about them. I then asked my opthamologist if botox or ptsosis could cause floaters or even worse a retinal tear. He said no way.
So I had botox for the 3rd time this year with the same ptosis and many many floater, webs, spots, globs in BOTH eyes this time a week later. I have been to my optometrist and 2 opthamologists and have been diagnosed with a post vitreous detachment in my right eye even though the floaters are worse in my left eye. Everything else is fine. My eye doctor said I have to live with them.
So I have made an appointment with a retina specialist in a few weeks. My problem is it has been 3 months since my 3rd botox injection. I have noticed the floaters getting worse a few specks once and awhile but no more webs or strands. Will the floaters stop getting worse? I have a lot of anxiety from this as the floaters are in my whole field of vision and it has really effected my lifestyle. I golfed the other day and it felt like I had a swarm of bees around my head. My other question is could there be a link between botox and floaters or retinal tears? It is just TOO coincidental that I got floaters all 3 times.
Also I am nearsighted (-400), am on glaucoma watch but no sign yet, and have lattice degenearation in one eye (not sure which).
Thanks for your reply.
Diane - USA
18304
Answer
You are at the age when people often get vitreous detachment. It especially happens to people who are near-sighted. Over time many of the floaters will dissolve or get stuck to the retina. Some big ones may stay there forever. Typically, you get used to them and just ignore them. I have a few that have never gone away. Worrying about them just makes you notice them more.
The botox injections probably have nothing to do with getting floaters, but they may be affecting your blinking, such that you notice existing floaters more. On the other hand, if in doubt, perhaps it would be better to forgo the injections. Since it is a toxin, I always worry about any side-effects.
Best wishes on good vision and eye health.
I could see image of bright light afterwards
Question
July 16, 2008
I looked directly into the floriscent tube and when I went in darkness I could not see because the light remained in the eyes.What could be the cause?
Miriam - Uganda
16226
Answer
When you look at a bright light and then close your eyes or go into a dark room, you see an image of that light for a few seconds. The reason is that the light has excited the retina in your eyes, and it takes a while for the retina to stop sending signals to your brain that your are no longer looking at the light.
Even your computer screen can cause this effect. Look away from your screen so that you just see it out of the corner of your eye. Then close your eyes, and you should see an image of the screen for a short time.
Has floaters in eyes and anxiety disorder
Question
December 19, 2007
I always had floaters in my eye, but I would never see them only once in a while. Now, a couple of weeks ago I got more, and I see them all the time. They're always in my eyes. I seen two Optometrists, and they both told me the same thing, "that they are just floaters, there is nothing you can do about them", and that I'll get used to them. I am very worried about this, I think about them all the time, even at night, even when I don't see them. I can't stop worrying. Will they get less noticeable? Is it hard to focus them out at first? Does it get better or worse? Can I live a normal life again? I'm 27 years old and other then the floaters I have perfect vision (20/20). I also have an anxiety disorder which has not helped me with this issue. Please respond...
Gregory - USA
14999
Answer
Most floaters are just blood cells or retina cells that have broken loose. The most noticeable ones are clumps of cells floating around. Some floaters dissolve over time and some get stuck on the retina and can no longer be seen again. Others may exist for a very long time.
Note that everyone has floaters, even young children. Once you notice them, there is a tendency to focus on them. This makes you notice them even more. What you have to do is to simply say to yourself, "OK, I've got these floaters. Everyone has them. Let's just try to ignore them." Not worrying about them allows you to get used to them. You won't even notice when many dissolve and go away.
Note that if you suddenly get a lot of floaters, it is a good idea to get your eyes checked in case of a torn retina or other problem.
Are floaters caused by stress?
Question
October 12, 2007
Hi, I have just found this site and it is a great read!
I am 17 and have had quite a few floaters for about 2 years now and have fallen into the trap of constantly looking at them. I was wondering if they really do dissolve since alot of other health sites do not mention it?
The sites often make me alot more nervous since they say that it could well be something alot more serious, but if I have had them for a while now then it coudnt be a detached retina could it?
Most of my floaters tend to move around alot, but I also get a small dark shadow at the side of my left eye and this does not move (I can find it in the same place looking at the same things). I was wondering if this could also be a floater? I had had it for about 4 months now I think.
Can stress and being tense cause floaters, also I have had a habit of picking my eyelashes maybe that could of caused them?
(Sorry for the large amount of questions.)
Thanks!
- UK
14523
Answer
Some floaters dissolve and others become stuck on the retina after a while. But there are some that just don't seem to go away. I have a couple that I had forgotten about until I recently looked into the clear sky and noticed them.
Realize that floaters are often look blood cells or other cells that have broken loose from your retina. They are tiny, but magnified by your eye. Sometimes running or playing ball can result in cells breaking loose in your eyes.
The best thing to do is to just accept the fact that you have them and don't worry about it. They are annoying for a while, but there is nothing you can do, so just try to work around the problem. Most will probably go away in time.
If you had a detached retina, you would notice flashes besides hundreds of floaters. If you are very nearsighted, you may have a tendency to have retina problems.
Picking on your eyelashes may be a nervous habit or may be an indication you have problems with your eyelashes, such as eyelash mites. (Everyone has these mites). It is good to wash your eyelids with warm water and a washcloth once a day.
Nerves and stress don't cause floaters. But floaters can cause you to be stressed. The whole issue can be helped by just trying to relax and going with the flow. Nothing is worth being stressed about.
5-year old noticed a floater
Question
June 7, 2007
My 5 year old son noticed a floater and i was wondering if children gets them or should i be concerned. I myself have had them since I was 12. Is it genetic?
Raven - USA
13893
Answer
Everyone gets them. A couple of cells from the retina may have loosened while playing, and that is what he sees (although magnified). The worst thing is when children notices a floater and starts concentrating on it. Often they dissolve in a few months. Tell him not to worry and it probably will go away soon.
Of course, any time someone suddenly sees hundreds of floaters, the person should immediately go to an eye doctor.
Worried about floaters starting a month ago
Question
October 28, 2006
Hello, Im 22 years old and healthy. I have just recently started to see floaters. The floaters are not too bad. I see them mostly outside while looking up at the beauitful blue sky or anywhere where it is sunny and im looking at a blank/plain background. I do not have many floaters but enough to notice them. I have not seen any flashes of light or a dark shadow. I was wondering though if the floaters can get worse? and if so when will they start to get worse? and also, if its a retina detachement how long till i see flashes of light or will i at all? I made an appointment with a opthalogist (sorry if spelt incorrect). Hopefully i will be okay. I have been reading on this site that everyone sometime or another does see floaters because my mom says she has as well as all my friends. I just am having lots of anixety about these floaters. I will say though about 1 month ago i was watering and i was rolling the hose back up and the end part of the hose hit my face somewhere around my eye. I did not have a bruise or any blurred vision at all after. I started seeing the floaters about 2 weeks after. Do you think that could have been the cause to the floaters? Also, last thing... since i have read that floaters seem to go away in time do you know around how long or how much time once i should start seeing them go away or diminish?
i really appreciate all and any advice...
thank you so much
Brianna- Southern California
- USA
12254
Answer
Once you notice floaters, you will tend to concentrate on them. Looking at the blue sky is a good way to really notice them. I think I noticed my first floaters while in my teens. Once you realize that just about everyone gets them, you can try to just ignore them. Many often dissolve after a short time.
If getting hit in the eye would have loosened up a few cells in your eye, you would have noticed it right away.
If you are extremely nearsighted, there is a tendency to get a detached retina. Also, it can happen to some in violent, physical sports. It is unlikely that you will ever have the problem. But if you suddenly see thousands of floaters and flashes at the edge of your vision, you should check with the ophthalmologist immediately.
Floaters can be annoying, but by ignoring them, you won't even notice when they dissolve and disappear.
Sees shadows after surgery
Question
October 13, 2006
i am a 32 year old female that had a detached retina surgery in the beginning of the year. it was a very emotional surgery because i only have vision in the eye that had the detachment. I am going through a huge life change and am noticing things that i guess i didnt seem to notice right after the surgery. I am content with the fact that floaters will be a part of my life forever. My field of vision is clear during the day. The question that i have is this, when the lights are dim or i am in the dark, and i close my eyes for a while and then open them again, it is kind of shadowy where the rip occured. Once i can focus and myve my eye, the shadow goes away. Should I be worried? i saw the surgeon about 2 weeks ago and he said that they had to sacrifice my peripheral vision to save my central vision. Please advise
- USA
12154
Answer
It certainly can be scary to have problems with your only good eye. It's also natural for you to notice things more after the surgery. Many of the folders will go away in several months, but typically the big ones will stay around for a long long time. What you're seeing when you suddenly open your eyes, after closing them in the dark, is a form of after-image. It's probably due to a little scar tissue in the area that your retina was repaired. It will either go away soon, or you will just not noticed it at all.
This after image is somewhat similar to looking at a bright spot and then closing your eyes and continuing to see that spot.
Try to ignore of the floaters and the shadow and soon you will not notice them at all. Best wishes on maintaining healthy vision.
Had detached retina and still see spots
Question
October 12, 2006
I had a detached retina that was fixed with the scleral buckle in March of 2006. I still see the spots, which the surgeon said is normal, but I am not seeing a little bit of a flashing light in the area that was affected. I have been to the Surgeon and he insists that everything is fine. I jsut started working in an office with very bright lights and notice the spots more than ever. Is the flashing of lght that i see and the little glittering lights that i also see normal? Im starting to give myself stress headaches worrying so much about this.
- USA
12146
Answer
Unfortunately, the floaters will last for a long time. They slowly will start to dissolve. The biggest problem is that the more you think about them, the more you notice them. The bright lights don't help, because the floaters can be more apparent. But office lights that are too bright can cause eyestrain and headaches for a person without floaters too.
If the flashing lights are at the edges of your field of vision, it may indicate a problem. But if your eyes were checked and the doctor feels there is nothing wrong, then you don't have to worry.
The biggest thing is to accept your floaters and try not to think about them. Consider them just a minor annoyance.
Has tv snow symptom in vision
Question
September 30, 2006
I am 26 years old and I'm in a doctoral program. In the past and recent, I have been under a lot of stress and anxiety. I get headaches frequently and they last for hours at a time. When these headaches occur, my head feels very stuffed and full of pressure and it makes it hard for me to think or concentrate. Around the same time I noticed these floaters I was involved in a car accident. I had my seat belt on but I got whiplash. I'm not sure if this is related to the cause of these specks that I see.
I see hundreds or thousands of tiny black specks in my vision in both eyes. They are always there and don't ever go away. These specks don't move and I don't see flashes of light. Everywhere and anywhere I look they are there in uniform density and distribution. However, once in a while I will see a floater that is transparent in outline and is the shape of a noddle that moves across my visual field. I know that this is a normal floater but i'm not sure if these black specks are floaters. I notice them less when I'm outdoors and they are more prominent in the dark or indoors. At night the backround and everything is dark so they seem to be white specks instead of the black ones that appear during the day. When I close my eyes I see the same black specks and distribution of them but they are white in a black background. It has been 2.5 years since i've noticed them. My vision is not blurry but because these specks are present I don't think I have good acuity.
I have seen an optometrist, opthalmologist, and neuro-opthalmologist. They all have said that the health of my eyes are normal. The opthalmologist discribed this symptom called "tv snow". I'm not sure if what I have is tv snow. The reason for this diagnosis is because these specks appear the same way as when the antenna of a tv set is not adjusted properly. Because of this one might see an even distribution of black specks.
Do I have tv snow? Should I get a second opinion? Will these specks get more concentrated and more dense to the point where I would loose my vision? Are these floaters? How would I know if these are due to lesions in the brain? Will this get worse as I age?
candy - USA
12046
Answer
The stationary black specks are probably not floaters but instead the tv snow symptom. The problem is that the cause of tv snow is not well-defined. One group of people with the symptom had been involved in taking LSD and other drugs, and the tv snow then came apparent years later. But there are others with the tv snow symptom who had been under constant stress in their lives. the tv snow is a reaction to the stress and anxiety.
One suggestion is to examine your lifestyle. As a student in a doctoral program, are you constantly under deadline pressures and stress to complete your work? Are you trying to do too much? If so, try to add some relaxation breaks into your schedule. Exercise, meditation, and relaxing walks can help.
If you can reduce much of the stress in your life, you may find the tv snow going away.
Also, check to find out what treatment your ophthalmologist suggests for the tv snow.
I hope these ideas help you eliminate this tv snow problem in your vision.
Have been seeing floaters for 2 years now
Question
July 26, 2006
Hey there, I have a question.
Im 17, and for the past 2 years ive been seeing fuzzy eyesight in a sense that when looking, everything looks as if tiny dots are moving around, and when looking at a blue sky and such, for my entire eyesight I see just pure swirling dots in which I cant tell what color they are, and this doesnt or hasnt gone away in that amount of time. (and I also see it in the dark)
Also my concentration seems to be going down, since I somehow find it hard to focus on an object due to seeing this fuzzyness.
Seeing how Floaters are the nearest thing I could find to this, do you think it could be a very bad case of floaters?
Thanks, Dave
Dave - UK
11543
Answer
The tiny dots you see are called floaters. They are mostly blood cells that have broken off from your retina. Usually they dissolve in a few months, although some clumps of cells can last for years.
Floaters can be very annoying and the more you pay attention to them, the more you notice them.
Usually someone your age may have only a few floaters. If they seem to be in a cloud, it may be from blood escaping due to a tiny tear in your retina. It is not a bad idea to check with an optometrist or eye doctor to make sure you don't have a loose retina.
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