For some years now I’ve had this “thing” floating around in my field of vision. Its like a number of small grey blobs held together by some sort of gelatinous looking string. Its very faint and moves around in my field of vision as I move my eye balls as if its floating on the surface of my eyeball as it looks like its sliding about. At times I forget its there and manage to ignore it and then suddenly its there again.
I’m thinking of seeing my doctor about it but I wanted to sound other people out about it first so I don’t feel a total wally infront of the doc trying to explain it. And I’m really not joking this thing is real so serious answers please.
I know just how you feel, Pushkin, and this is one of the first things I did a search for when I discovered the SDMB.
Look for “floaters” and I think you’ll find plenty of discussion on this topic.
Cecil may even have covered it in a column, so you may want to check the archives.
Thanks,KneadToKnow, it feels better just to know I’m not going mad.
Cecil did a column on normal floaters…I read it in one of the books, and it may also be on the SD site. Basically, everyone has floaters, which are remnants of blood vessels from fetal development. They are usually transparent, and can only be seen in certain lighting conditions. I’ve always been able to see them in sunlight.
For the past month though, I’ve been having the same problem as you, Pushkin. It’s in my right eye, and there are 3 little dark things floating around, and it’s annoying as all hell.
I did a web search on “black eye spots” and found several sites with info. It seems that as we age, the lining at the back of our eyes starts to deteriorate. In some people, small pieces break off and float around in the fluid in the eyeball. When you look up, you send the fragments upwards, and then gravity causes them to float down through your field of vision. It’s usually normal, but the sites suggest seeing an ophto…optom… seeing an eye doctor about it. 
You may want to see a physican bout these ‘floaters’ Pushkin. Particularily since persistant floaters have been associated vitreous pathologic conditions. It’s easily checked with a slit-lamp. Better to be safe than sorry IMO when it comes to things like these.
It sounds like what my mom has: a vitreous floater.
Her docs have little interest in messing with it unless it actually becomes more of a problem than a nuisance…but it doesn’t hurt to inquire about such things.
I will reiterate: you are not nutty. These things really exist and many people have them.
As the eye ages, the vitreous gel that fills it undergoes changes, it becomes more liquid. In lots of cases, this process produces these floaters. Trauma to the eye–getting bonked in it by a raquetball or whatnot–can accelerate it.
Sometimes, the floaters are attached to the retinal lining, and as the vitreous continues to alter, they will contract, tugging on it. If you experience “flashers” with them, little bursts of light, SEE AN EYE DOCTOR. If the retina is tugged on, it can tear, and once a tear starts, left untreated it will expand and lead to portions of the retina detaching and peeling away from the back of the eye. This is not a good thing. A retinal tear is definitely something you want to have treated asap.
That said, don’t panic–floaters are normal to an extent, but if you’re getting lots of them, or distractingly large ones, and especially if you get flashers with them, it’s far better to be safe than sorry.