Floaters or flying flies are an annoying but very common problem that is usually not of concern.
However, there are situations that require medical advice or intervention as we will detail them together.
Do you have eye floaters? Here are all the answers to your questions.
What are eye floaters
Floaters are black or translucent spots that appear in your visual field.
They can be dot, strand, circle, serpentine shape slowly moving.
They are usually most noticeable when the eye is exposed to an intense light such as a white wall, PC screen, or blue sky.
They drift in the visual angle and float out of direct vision.
They are called floaters because they give the appearance of floating in the image.
Medically, we talk about myodesopsia.
Over time, the brain adapts to these “intruders” and ends up ignoring them.
What are eye floaters causes
These flying flies are actually tiny debris lodged in the fluid in the eye called the vitreous humor.
Vitreous humor is a watery liquid with the consistency of raw white egg that sits in the center of the eyeball and is made up of 98 to 99% water, collagen and hyaluronic acid.
As it ages, it tends to liquefy more, which is completely normal.
But floaters may appear at this time and this collagen debris causes shadows on the retina, the sensitive part to light of the eye.
Blood can also be found in the eyes and especially in people prone to diabetes.
An inflammation of the eye like uveitis can also lead to floaters.
Damage from sunlight, UV, or even blue light diffused by our new technologies (screens, smartphones, etc.) are not to overlook.
Who can suffer from floaters
Seeing shadows in your field of vision not associated with flashes of light or reduced vision usually appears over time and tends to be limited to the bottom of the eye.
Over the years, these floaters also tend to fade.
This phenomenon seems to particularly affect people with myopia, an eye disorder resulting in blurred vision from afar.
Are flies in front of the eyes alarming
There are some differentiations to be made if you are upset by these flies.
If you perceive these floaters or flashes of light, you don’t have to be alarmed if :
- you’ve noticed this phenomenon for some time
- the situation is not getting worse
- this does not affect your eyesight
Otherwise, it is best to consider a thorough examination by an ophthalmologist.
You must react and consult a specialist urgently if :
- you perceive those floaters or flashes suddenly without ever having suffered from them
- the flies are more and more numerous
- you perceive a black shadow moving in your visual field
- your eyesight is cloudy
- pain occurs at the same time as floaters
- flies broke out after eye surgery, trauma, injury
Complications of myodesopsia
All of these signs of a serious problem with the back of the eye can impact your eyesight if left untreated.
If floaters appear suddenly, they may be related to a tear or detachment of the retina.
Likewise, if you notice any change or multiplication of the flies, it is advisable to consult for a retinal examination.
You should also be alarmed if you perceive a lot of debris associated with loss of central or peripheral vision.
In diabetes, the presence of blood may indicate progressive retinal disease and should be monitored by a specialist.
Specific treatments will be instituted to prevent vision loss.
What is the eye floaters treatment
Of course, the treatment for myodesopsia depends on the cause.
When it comes to the mild form, simple prevention can be implemented since the debris is not a major problem and the brain learns to manage them.
But for some people, floaters can be very annoying and affect their quality of life.
In this case, there are treatments to eliminate them.
- Surgery may be considered
The ophthalmic surgeon performs a vitrectomy to remove fluid from the vitreous humor.
Note that the vitreous humor has no defined function after birth.
It is mainly present to allow the development of the eye when the child is still in its mother’s womb.
It can therefore be removed without effect.
Complications of this type of surgery are very rare, especially as the space occupied by the vitreous humor is replaced by a liquid that the eye naturally produces to maintain pressure.
When floaters are related to a tear in the retina or blood in the eyes, vitrectomy may be considered to treat the retinal problem.
- There is also a laser treatment named vitreolysis.
This is a non-invasive and painless technique for eliminating floaters used if the person notices a stable condition, does not undergo any flash of light and does not suffer from cataracts.
The surgeon then intervenes directly in the vitreous humor to destroy the floaters one by one with a laser.
This more expensive procedure requires several sessions to obtain a satisfactory result.
Can floaters lead to blindness
Depending on their cause, these flies can sometimes lead to blindness.
So if you perceive a multitude of new floaters associated with some sort of dark curtain over peripheral vision, it may be a retinal detachment or tear which, left untreated, leads to blindness.
The cases of retinal detachment in the population reach a proportion of 1 per 10,000, which is very common.
The most common cause of aging-induced floaters is no risk of blindness.
Is there a natural treatment for floaters
A study published in 2019 tends to demonstrate the effectiveness of pineapple in reducing floaters.
Indeed, this exotic fruit contains an enzyme called bromelain capable of destroying collagen debris suspended in the vitreous humor.
The participants in this study simply enjoyed a certain number of pineapple slices per day at the end of their meal for 90 days.
– For the group who consumed a slice of pineapple per day for three months, the researchers noted after careful examination a 55% improvement.
– For the group who tasted 2 slices of pineapple per day during the same period, they noted an improvement of 66%
– For one who accepted 3 pineapple slices per day, the improvement is rated at 75%.
If you want to test this method, of course you just need to consume fresh pineapple every day to see if you perceive a real decrease in your symptoms.
You can also use a bromelain supplement with a minimum dosage of 100-150 grams per day.
Note that some people are allergic to pineapple.
In summary
The flies you see in your visual field are not the alarming symptom of a disease attacking the eyes.
Most of the time, these dark spots are benign and the brain gets used to them over time.
However, there are special situations that require prompt medical attention.
You will find many home remedies on the web claiming to alleviate this disturbing phenomenon.
But due to their very origin, it is difficult to find a natural alternative to cure them.
And you, what do you do to relieve flies?
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