Does anyone else have Floaters?

[incka]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floater

I have them, and all of the 5 people I asked at school have them, do you?

[nycteris]

These may not be the same thing, but i get something similar, only when i'm really tired. Almost always, though, they're patches of blue-black that sort of blink there, for a moment, and disappear in a moment.
But that only happens very rarely to me, so they're really not a problem.

I hear some people get these cobwebby shadows in their field of vision when they're exhausted, and they actually see moving shapes in them. Glad i don't have that problem.

[incka]

I see them all the time, those thread things, but they are almost transparent, so most of the time I don't notice them...

[creme_ala_creme78]

i get them as well, but i dont usually notice them unless im tired or sum1 mentions eyes or sumthin...

[Sitaram]

I developed "floaters" (dead cells) when I was age 13. Now I am 57. They never got any worse in all these years. When I first got them, it really scared me. I was certain I would go blind. I decided that the only sensible thing to do was to vow to read the entire Bible. I made a bargain with God in return for the preservation of my vision. For some reason, I started with the Gospel of Matthew, rather than Genesis. I only read a several pages. I came to that sentence shouting "Oh ye generation of vipers."


But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?- Matthew 3:7

I was rather shocked. It all sounded so violent and unfriendly, not at all what I was expecting. But here I am 44 years later, with excellent vision.

I only notice the floaters when someone mentions them. Now I am noticing them. Thanks a lot!

Years later, I did manage to read through the entire Bible, cover to cover.

I attribute my good vision to Bible study, and carrots, lots of raw carrots.

[angelhair]

I have them all the time. If I look hard enough I can see the odd very feint glimmer of what looks like blood still left and what appears to look like a nucleus in the core. I find they are often much worse after a period of hard stress. Never a day goes by when I don't have at least one or two.

[Dahlia]

Yeah, I get one of those thin threads and couple of black dots...I don't always see them. Looking at how to have them removed, by replacing the 'jelly' at the back of the eye just seems too gross for words.

[Sitaram]

Yeah, I get one of those thin threads and couple of black dots...I don't always see them. Looking at how to have them removed, by replacing the 'jelly' at the back of the eye just seems too gross for words.


I actually spoke to a world famous eye surgeon who had been treating a realtive of mine. Out of curiosity, I asked him about my floaters. He explained that any procedure which might attempt to correct them would most likely cause more floaters. It is not worth the risk.

One might also say the same for that laser corrective surgery, that it is not worth the risk, since one may live happily for 70 or 80 years using conventional eyeglasses.

I have done an unusual amount of reading in my life, as well as major time looking at computer screens, continuously, since 1978, and my floaters have not been a major obstacle.

I would suggest to everyone that they receive regular yearly checkups from a skilled opthomologist, and have your eye pressure tested for glaucoma.


Also, do yourself a big favor and spend a few dollars on a glucosometer, and test your blood sugar once a week for diabetic onset. Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, as well as kidney failure. And be very sensible about your diet, carbs, and the use of alcohol. Actually, alcohol is something you can do without, especially if you find it difficult to control. Same thing for tobacco. Better to never try it. But if you must use it, try to be very moderate.

[blp]

I was going to say yes, I got them, but it seems from the Wikipedia entry that what I get are tear film debris since they do tend to go away with blinking. I'd always assumed they were sort of grease spots on my eyeball, which assumption the entry seems to back up.

[Rachel]

I think I have them, but only when tired do I notice. Although as I have been reading all this I suddenly am aware. Oh Bother!
I used to think it was a greasy thing too, how odd to even think that. But then again I am always washing the curtains, blinds and wall surfaces from grease due to cooking. So who knows. Clayton who is a chef says he often has trouble seeing for a bit after a long day of cooking with oil.

[beth_m]

I remember years ago reading a philosophical/positive thought type book written in an ironic style, one of the chapters encouraged you to notice and worry about your floaters as many times a day as possible, convince yourself they are getting bigger and more numerous and are a precursor to serious ocular problems leading to eventual blindness, and strangely enough your vision will deteriorate!