Features of symptoms
It is not difficult to notice “floaters”, because they appear in the visual field and create a certain discomfort. It may seem to a person that a grain of sand or lint has gotten into his eye, but attempts to remove the foreign body are unsuccessful. “Floaters” can appear in front of only one or both eyes at once. They have a floating character, that is, they move following the direction of view. Such dots and “cobwebs” become most sharply and clearly visible when looking at a flat white background.
Often this symptom is accompanied by decreased visual acuity, headaches and the appearance of “flashes” and “lightning” before the eyes.
Causes of lightning before your eyes
Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD)
Vitreous humor is a gel-like, clear substance that fills the eye. With age, the vitreous body ages and decreases in volume. Therefore, traction occurs in those places where the vitreous body is attached to the retina. A person perceives these tractions as a phenomenon called lightning before the eyes. In most cases, this process is harmless and is a manifestation of the aging process.
Retinal detachment and retinal tears
In approximately one out of 10 cases, traction of the vitreous body causes retinal ruptures and retinal detachment develops. Vision decreases sharply. A veil or curtain appears before the eye. Retinal detachment requires urgent surgery.
Neurological diseases of the brain
In rare cases, lightning before the eyes is the result of diseases of the visual cortex of the brain. This part of the brain is responsible for processing visual information. If your eye doctor cannot determine the cause of the flashes before your eyes, he should refer you to a neurologist for examination.
Migraine or ocular migraine
Before a migraine attack, flickering spots appear in the field of vision, accompanied by flashes of light. The ocular form of migraine can pass without headache. Appear only as lightning and loss of field of vision.
But what leads to disruption of the transparent structure of the vitreous?
It could be:
- destruction caused by natural aging processes; traumatic lesions of the visual organs, as a result of which blood enters the vitreous body;
- eye infections;
- high degree of myopia;
- diabetic retinopathy;
- ocular migraine;
- neoplasms in the visual organs.
All these factors can lead to clouding of certain areas of the vitreous body and, as a result, flying “floaters”. If you notice that dots and “cobwebs” have begun to float before your eyes, you should in any case consult a doctor. But in situations where “floaters” appear suddenly after an injury, and there is also pain, high blood pressure and a noticeable decrease in vision, a visit to a specialist should be immediate.
Floaters - “floaters” in the eyes
The appearance of floating spots (“floaters”) or cloudiness in the eyes for the first time can be confusing and even alarming.
How do you know if this is a cause for concern? Let's discuss this!
While some floaters are normal, some may be a sign of serious problems that should be discussed with your eye doctor.
What are floaters and why do they appear in the eye?
Floaters appear as spots that slowly move across your field of vision. Floaters often look like:
- small dark spots or particles;
- threads, wires;
- web fragments.
Floaters in the eyes are not an optical illusion. These are small foreign formations in the vitreous humor, a gel-like substance that gives the eye its regular shape. Sometimes, as the floaters move, they create a shadow on the retina. This is exactly what you see.
What is the cause of cloudiness?
In most cases, the cause of floaters is age-related changes in the vitreous body. As the eyes age, the condition of the vitreous worsens: it becomes more liquid, begins to bend and shift inside the eyeball, and sometimes the gel-like substance thickens. The shadows of these viscous clumps are what you see.
Floaters also occur when the vitreous humor separates from the retina. Irritation of the retina during this process often creates "flares" in the eyes. When the vitreous body separates from the head of the optic nerve, a floating opacification in the form of a ring may occur.
Sometimes this separation “pulls” part of the retina behind it. When the retina is separated, blood leaks into the vitreous, which appears as a scattering of small dots and requires immediate specialist intervention.
The appearance of floaters in the vitreous body can be caused by bleeding or inflammation of the eye, retinal tears, pathology of blood vessels and other disorders. Floaters can also be small particles of proteins or other substances that have entered the developing eye before birth.
When to contact a specialist
Floating spots and “flares” are an emergency that needs to be addressed by a specialist, especially if they appear suddenly. They often indicate retinal detachment, which can lead to blindness.
During your regular eye exam, you should tell your eye doctor about any vision changes or eye problems, whether floaters or anything else. Floaters are sometimes only visible during an ophthalmological examination, especially if they are located close to the retina.
Treatment of floaters
Most floaters do not require treatment. Many people stop noticing spots or floaters over time, but at first they are bothersome.
If the floaters are very large or become numerous and impair your vision, your specialist may recommend surgery or laser therapy to remove them.
Laser therapy for floaters
During laser therapy, a specialist directs a laser beam at a clot located in the vitreous body to destroy it, shrink it and make it less visible.
The use of laser therapy for floaters is still experimental and not widely used. While some people experience improvement after laser therapy, others experience little or no improvement.
Surgical treatment of floaters
A vitrectomy is an operation in which the doctor removes the vitreous humor through small incisions, replacing it with a special solution to maintain the shape of the eye. Your body will naturally replenish the vitreal space and gradually replace this solution. With vitrectomy it is not always possible to completely remove floaters. After this, new floating spots may form, especially if bleeding or a tear in the retina occurred during surgery.
While most floaters are harmless, their sudden appearance or flare-ups can be a warning sign. Contact a specialist if you experience sudden changes in your eyes. Regular examination is also important so that your eye care professional will notice changes and can help diagnose floaters and other abnormalities in your eyes.
The information in this article does not constitute medical advice and does not replace the instructions of a qualified specialist. If you have any questions, please contact a specialist at the optical salon.
How is this pathology treated?
The treatment regimen is selected after diagnosis, when the cause is precisely established. For age-related destructive changes in the vitreous body, there is no specific therapy. In addition, in most cases, destruction does not pose a threat to vision, unlike other pathologies of the vitreous body.
If cloudy areas seriously impede vision, your doctor may recommend surgical treatment. There are two main methods - laser vitreolysis and vitrectomy.
The first method involves the doctor using a laser to “break” the clouded areas into smaller particles that will not interfere with visual perception.
The second method, vitrectomy, involves the surgical removal of individual sections or the entire vitreous and its replacement with a clear liquid with sterile properties. Surgical treatment has a number of contraindications and can cause complications, so the doctor must decide on the advisability of the operation.
Transparent spots before the eyes
The causes of transparent spots before the eyes can be:
- Destruction of the vitreous body.
- Inflammatory process in the eye.
- Eye damage.
- Severe degree of myopia.
The vitreous is a colorless transparent gel that contains 99% water and 1% collagen. The gel fills the entire eyeball from the inside and normally conducts light rays without hindrance.
With the onset of age-related changes in the eye (after 40 years), collagen delamination occurs, individual fibers tear off and, floating in the vitreous fluid, cast a shadow as rays pass onto the fundus. As a result, images of oblong “worms” and “bubbles” appear, which become clearer the brighter the light enters the eye.
Similar “floaters” can also occur during inflammatory processes, eye injuries, when its internal environment is affected . It is characteristic that the appearance of transparent “flies” is most often a temporary phenomenon. The inflammatory process takes place, the exfoliated collagen fibers settle or dissolve, and the vitreous body becomes transparent again.
A high degree of myopia as a result of “stretching” the eyeball contributes to the detachment of collagen fibers and the appearance of transparent “floaters”.
Floaters before the eyes are a very serious sign. Why do they occur and how to treat them?
Drinking three cups of coffee a day reduces the risk of death from heart disease by 17%.
Photo: pixabay.com
According to the Daily Mail, researchers from Semmelweis University in Budapest have traced a link between coffee drinking habits and cases of heart attack and stroke. They found that moderate coffee consumption can also reduce the risk of stroke by up to 21% compared to those who don't drink coffee at all.
Photo: pixabay.com
“This is the largest study to systematically evaluate cardiovascular disease following regular coffee consumption in a population without diagnosed heart problems. Our results suggest that regular coffee consumption is safe, as even high daily consumption was not associated with adverse cardiovascular disease and mortality after 10 to 15 years of follow-up. Moreover, drinking 0.5 to 3 cups of coffee per day was associated with a lower risk of stroke, death from cardiovascular disease and any other cause,” said study author and cardiologist Judith Simon.
In the study, Dr. Simon and her colleagues compared the health and coffee drinking habits of 468,629 adults over approximately 11 years.
Photo: pixabay.com
Data for the study was collected from the UK Biobank, a large-scale database containing detailed genetic and health information from half a million participants. The team divided the subjects into three groups based on their daily coffee consumption: 22% reported not drinking coffee regularly, 58.4% drinking between half and three cups a day, and 19.5% drinking more than three cups. At the start of the study, none of the participants had signs of heart disease, and the average age was about 56 years.
Photo: pixabay.com
The researchers found that moderate coffee consumption (up to three cups per day) was associated with a 12% lower risk of death from any cause and a 17% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease. The team also found that people who drank moderate amounts of coffee had a 21% lower risk of stroke than those who drank no coffee at all. To explore potential mechanisms that could explain these results, the team analyzed heart structure and function in 30,650 participants using data collected through magnetic resonance imaging.
Photo: pixabay.com
“Analysis of the images showed that compared to participants who did not drink coffee regularly, coffee drinkers had healthier heart sizes and better functioning,” Dr. Simon explained. “This was consistent with reversing the detrimental effects of aging on the heart. The results show that drinking up to three cups of coffee per day is associated with favorable cardiovascular outcomes. Although further research is needed to explain the underlying mechanisms, the observed benefits may be due to positive changes in cardiac structure and function."
And one blogger told how you can eat fast food and still lose weight. All the secrets can be found here .
Methods for treating floaters before the eyes
Treatment for “floaters” in front of the eyes is prescribed if they are caused by any pathology of the eyes or other organs; it is prescribed only by a specialist after a thorough examination.
When the cause of “floaters” is clouding of the vitreous, vitamin preparations, biostimulants, and absorbable eye drops (taufon and its analogues) are prescribed.
In cases of severe clouding, intraocular injections and laser therapy are used; in severe cases, vitrectomy (removal of the vitreous body) is performed.
In case of pathology of the retina (retina), the ophthalmologist prescribes appropriate complex treatment: medications, eye drops, physical procedures, and laser therapy.
When the cause of “floaters” is somatic diseases - atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, tumors and other pathologies, treatment is carried out by an appropriate specialist (cardiologist, endocrinologist, etc.), with periodic examination by an ophthalmologist.
Temporary floaters before the eyes do not require special treatment , because their appearance can be prevented by changing lifestyle, diet, and habits. To do this, a number of preventive measures should be followed.
The reason for the appearance of floaters and flickering before the eyes is a normal reaction to stress.
When a person is in a state of anxiety, his body prepares for “fight and flight.” And it activates the functions necessary for such behavior, suppressing those that are useless in “combat” conditions.
In the modern world, a person with neurotic fears usually clearly understands that he is not in any real danger. And often she doesn’t feel like she’s worried. But he doesn't feel it consciously. His brain found a threat for itself. Scared of her. And now he is preparing to defend himself.
Normal preparation of the visual organs for encountering real danger includes:
- dilation of the pupils to increase the amount of visual information about an impending threat;
- narrowing of peripheral vision (you need to look in front of the glitch, and not yawn to the sides);
- reducing the frequency of blinking movements so as not to miss danger while the eye is closed;
- increased blood flow in the area of the eye muscles.
Subjectively, the changes that occur can be felt as:
- obtaining a brighter, sometimes literally “overexposed” picture before your eyes;
- "tunnel vision";
- pain and tension in the eyes;
- flickering of flies, spots, flashes of light, etc.
