I think we can all agree that if your vision is affected negatively, it impacts all aspects of your life. From struggling to see things far away to feeling a strain on your eyes after looking at a screen for long periods of time – it is really difficult to maximize everyday experiences unless you are able to see clearly.
One vision issue that rarely gets discussed is ‘floaters’. These are microscopic specks that ‘float’ or ‘drift’ into your field of vision without warning or even a seemingly good reason! You may be looking at something near or far and suddenly threads or particles of some sort may come into view – like a mark on old-fashioned film.
Floaters come in all sizes, shapes and colors. They can be dots, lines or even take on the shape of a cobweb. Floaters may cause portions of the view to be darkened out and follow your view as your eyes move. That is because they are located in the viscous part of the eye!
It is likely that all of us have had a ‘floater experience’ at some point in our lives. They occur naturally if you stare at something that is too bright for long periods of time, such as blank sheets of paper or even a clear blue sky.
There is a physical reason for floaters to appear and it is really quite simple. Staring at an object for any length of time that reflects back light causes the gel-like substance in your eye to detach. This loosened material is called ‘posterior vitreous detachment’ or PVD. They are not harmful by themselves but they cause the individual to look away from the item that is instigating the issue.
Now, that is not to say that sometimes floaters have a more serious source. For example, a retinal detachment or other eye injury can also cause PVDs to appear in your vision. If you are experiencing extended or continued floaters in your vision it is recommended you visit an eye doctor to address the problem. Your vision is definitely not something you want to take chances with!
To learn more about vision problems or simply have your eyes examined by a professional, make an appointment with the experts at Island Eyecare!