What Are Eye Floaters And How You Treat Them?

Do you see spots in front of your eyes? It could be eye floaters. Eye Floaters are tiny specks, spots or tangled threads that can be seen in your field of vision. They appear more prominent when you are in bright places such as in the sun or bright electric lights. Even if you change the line of sight, those floaters follow and move with it. Surely they are annoying.

Shapes and sizes of eye floaters are vary. They could be like small grain, circle or appear like hairy clumps. Usually they are dark in color but in some cases semi-transparent. In most cases, eye floaters harmless, just annoying. However, if you see a sudden increase in their size or number, it could be an indication of damages to some internal structures of your eyes. So when it happens, you need to see your doctor immediately.

Possible Cause Of Eye Floaters

Why eye floaters occur? Let’s have a look at possible causes and mechanism of eye floaters. When you see something through your eye, the visual information is transported from the retina to the brain via optic nerve. Retina is a light sensitive film like lines inside of the eye. It detects color and shape of the object and passes the information to optic nerve. Vitreous humor is a jelly like substance which helps sustaining the shape of the eyeball. Vitreous humor absorbs shock when the eye is under pressure.

Eye floaters occur in the vitreous humor, that’s why they move around. Most common case is age related changes in the vitreous humor. As you age, it pulls slightly away from the retina and degeneration occurs. When vitreous humor separates from the retina, it can cause small shreds of jelly to break off and create the floaters. Simply put, eye floaters are specks suspended in the vitreous humor and most of the time harmless. In some cases, the separation of the vitreous humor from the retina can cause tears in the retina. If you see some droppings of blood as new floaters, it could be the sign of tears. If untreated, this could lead to retinal detachment which could result in permanent loss of vision. So when it happens see your doctor immediately.

How To Treat Eye Floaters

Most of people with eye floaters learn to live with them. Initially they are very annoying, but you will get used to them and be able to ignore them. In some cases they can improve over the years. Only when your see sudden changes of the sized or shapes, or you see blood or flashing in your sight, then see your doctor immediately as it could lead you to more serious condition.

Even if you don’t need immediate medical attention, you can do something at home to improve the condition. Here are some examples.

1. Eye exercise. Improving the blood circulation around the eye can help improving the condition. Try to spend 5 minutes a day to do some easy eye exercise. Close your eyes tightly and open them wide, repeat it several times. Look up then look down, look left and look right. Repeat it several times. Circle your eye balls in clockwise rotation then anticlockwise rotation with slow movement. Repeat it several times.

2. Consume some nutrients which are good for eye health. Active oxygen causes damage to eye health. So consuming food with antioxidant nutrients prevents and restores damages caused by active oxygen. Eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruit rich in vitamin C, E and B carotene such as carrots, broccoli, peppers and mangos. Consume food rich in lutein which is a major component of eyes. Lutein rich foods are leafy green vegetables such as spinach and kale. Polyphenol is also very good for eye health. So drink beverage rich in polyphenols such as green tea, black tea, red wine and blubbery juice.

3. Try some brain or memory exercise. Train your brain and memory and stay mentally sharp can improve eye health. So do some brain teasers, crossword puzzles, Sudoku and other mental exercises.

4. Avoid stress, smoking, over drinking and eye straining work or activities which have potential harm for your eyes.

If you try all of the above, you have a good chance of improving the condition of eye floaters.