# Eye "floaters" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 2, 2003, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-floaters/165858 "2003-04-02T02:04:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-floaters/165858/1 "2003-04-02T02:04:27Z")
These are defects in the vitreous part of the eyeball that often appear as small dots, clumps and strings. They are common with aging, and can be annoying. Standard advice is to live with them, but it appears that laser treatment is now possible. I was wondering if anyone has information on such treatment, or has undergone it. What’s involved? What does it cost? Does it work? ---
**Author:** ![Pelleas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e8c25b/32.png) [@Pelleas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pelleas)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-floaters/165858/2 "2003-04-02T02:29:18Z")
I haven’t heard that there is a laser treatment for floaters. If there is I would like to find out more about it too. I have asked my ophthalmologist if anything can be done for them and he doesn’t seem to think so. I’ve just learned to live with them although they can be a bit of a nuisance at times. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help. ---
**Author:** ![cstamets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/958977/32.png) [@cstamets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cstamets)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-floaters/165858/3 "2003-04-02T02:47:20Z")
My optomerist said that in severe cases, they can drain your eyeball and refill it with an inert fluid. Something like that would only be done in cases of floaters to the point of blindness, I would think. My floaters are bad, but I’m not anxious to have my eyeballs drained. ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-floaters/165858/4 "2003-04-02T02:54:08Z")
Cecil [speaks on floaters](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_311.html), and makes reference to the procedure **cstamets** mentions, which is called a “vitrectomy.” ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-floaters/165858/5 "2003-04-02T03:18:43Z")
Thanks, peep. (I’m a trifle curious why my search on ‘floaters’ didn’t turn this up.) ---
**Author:** ![dcurt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@dcurt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dcurt)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-floaters/165858/6 "2003-04-02T04:04:23Z")
I can tell you from experience floaters can be the first sign of something much worse. I had what seemed like more than usual floaters. I went to the eye Doctor, he said it was “Normal part of maturing” His words. Within three weeks they seemed to be gathering together, unfortunately the shadow or curtain I was seeing was my retina detaching, which left me blind in that eye. If you see flashes of light with the floaters don’t wait till tomorrow, go NOW to the ER! The odds are on your side only if you don’t wait. ---
**Author:** ![Fifteen\_Iguana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Fifteen\_Iguana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fifteen_Iguana)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-floaters/165858/7 "2003-04-02T04:23:34Z")
About three years ago I had a concussion. A few days later I looked up at a bright sky and saw a whole lot of floaters that had not been there before. They were widely scattered and looked vaguely like teardrops. Whoa nelly. Went to the eye doctor that day. He say what looked like the beginning of a retinal tear and sent me to an eye surgeon. An hour of laser surgery and I have been fine ever since. In case you wonder during the surgery I was sitting up awake with a lot of bright light flashed into my eye. There was a tingling sensation but no pain. I second what dcurt said. If you see flashed DO NOT PASS GO. Go see a doctor. Fifteen Iguana ---
**Author:** ![suezeekay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@suezeekay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suezeekay)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-floaters/165858/8 "2003-04-02T06:43:11Z")
Here’s a good article; puts the conditions into perspective: [http://www.eyesite.ca/english/public-information/eye-conditions/floaters&flashing-lights.htm](http://www.eyesite.ca/english/public-information/eye-conditions/floaters&flashing-lights.htm) ---
**Author:** ![akitaking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@akitaking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akitaking)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-floaters/165858/9 "2003-04-02T17:29:19Z")
It’s a burning question for me, and on topic as well: do your floaters tend to “settle” at the same points in your eyes? Although I’m not sure about the very clear ones that I usually notice only when looking at the clear blue sky, the most prominent floater I have tends to migrate to the same point in my eye, which is very close to my center of focus. This is somewhat annoying when reading, as my eyes move very little, and mostly left to right. By doing a quick up and down movement, it will swirl away somewhere, but tends to come back to the same old point within 5 to 10 seconds. How about yours? ---
**Author:** ![ChalkPit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@ChalkPit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChalkPit)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-floaters/165858/10 "2003-04-02T17:37:13Z")
If I find a floater settles at an annoying point in the middle of vision, I just ‘look’ real hard in all directions, that usually shakes up the fluid in the eye a bit and moves the offending floater elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![malaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@malaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malaka)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-floaters/165858/11 "2003-04-02T17:56:43Z")
I have floaters. Lots of 'em. I usually don’t notice them, but, if suddenly I become aware of them, its almost impossible to then ignore them. Kind of like someone pointing out the dripping faucet you hadn’t noticed before. When I “see” them, if I glance left or right or up or down, they jerk suddenly in that direction, then slow down until I move my gaze again. They are particularly annoying if I notice them while reading a book (black text on a white background). ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-floaters/165858/12 "2003-04-02T18:17:39Z")
Oh jeez!! Will someone who mentioned falshes, please describe what you are talking about. because every once in a while I’ll see a very bright pin point flash… and yes I do have floaters, had’em for a while. not that bad though., ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-floaters/165858/13 "2003-04-02T18:20:49Z")
ERRR !!! Flashes I mean. ---
**Author:** ![NFlanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9adbd/32.png) [@NFlanders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NFlanders)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-floaters/165858/14 "2003-04-02T18:45:44Z")
I, too, have occasional bright pin-point flashes (as well as many floaters). You should definitely schedule an appointment with your opthamologist (you should go once a year) just to make sure everything is all right. I told my last doctor about my occasional bright flashes, and after he checked out my retina, he said I was fine. If they are more than occasional or last longer than an instant, then I’d get more worried. Get your retina checked out. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-floaters/165858/15 "2003-04-02T19:21:54Z")
they only last an instant, and usually when I am lifting weights or doing something rather stressful… ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-floaters/165858/16 "2003-04-02T20:36:43Z")
I’ve got dozens of the damn things; always have. No matter how bright or dim the lighting is, I can see them. Even when looking at this monitor screen I see a bunch of crinkly little blobs swimming around. They’re annoying as all hell. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-floaters/165858/17 "2003-04-02T23:01:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by akitaking \* > It’s a burning question for me, and on topic as well: do your floaters tend to “settle” at the same points in your eyes? I’d say that mine seem to prefer the same general area, but do not always stop at the exact same point. I was a little curious why they don’t just settle to the bottom (or float to the top) but if we understand them not as foreign matter but as a type of defect, then perhaps their behavior makes some sense.