Treatment for Floaters From Your Fremont Optometrist

Have you noticed a small speck of dust or thread in your field of vision that doesn’t go away when you blink? You may have what’s known as a floater. At Warm Springs Optometric Group, serving Fremont and the surrounding area, we have the experience and optometry expertise to treat eye floaters and other vision problems. Here’s a closer look at eye floaters and what you should do if you experience one or more of them.

What Are Eye Floaters?

The human eye has what’s known as a vitreous body, which is a gel-like fluid in the area behind the iris. This fluid contains invisible protein fibers. However, they may shrink and clump together and cast a shadow on your retina, causing a floater. They have a variety of shapes, which include gray specks, threadlike strands, squiggles, and cobwebby lines. Floaters are made of collagen, which is a protein.

Often, floaters form when the jelly-like fluid becomes liquified, which is due to the aging process. Although floaters are usually not dangerous and will disappear on their own, they may be a sign of a more serious health problem.

The Development of Eye Floaters

You may see a shadow over your field of vision if you have a large floater. Usually, floaters are noticeable as small spots in your field of vision that seem to drift, or float, hence the name.

Factors that make floaters more likely to develop include the following:

• Eye injuries
• Nearsightedness
• Cataract surgery

If you have a floater, try moving your eyes by looking up and down (rather than side by side) to move the fluid in your eye and allow the floater to drift away from your field of vision. These specks are annoying but often aren’t a serious problem.

Optometry Treatment for Eye Floaters

Although many floaters go away or become less noticeable over time, if you have a floater or more than one floater resulting in your vision being blocked, you may be a candidate for a surgery known as a vitrectomy, which involves replacing the gel-like vitreous with a salt solution.

Immediate treatment is necessary if:

• Floaters worsen over time or floaters cause your peripheral (side) vision to decrease.
• A floater causes a retinal detachment (this is a medical emergency, requiring surgery to prevent blindness).
• A floater appears along with flashes of light.

Additionally, what appears to be a floater may be droplets of blood, which could be caused by an eye injury or another condition that requires the attention of an eye doctor.

Contact Our Fremont Optometrist Today

If you need treatment for eye floaters or other vision problems, our Fremont optometrists at Warm Springs Optometric Group are just a phone call away. Contact us today at (510) 490-0287 for more information or to schedule an appointment.