Vision Problem: What's Wrong?

This particular problem started about 2 years ago, and its driving me up the wall. I had been wearing contacts for about 6 months every day for roughly 10-12 hours a day. I began to notice little distortions in my vision which I will try and describe. If you have ever looked through a microscope and noticed an eyelash, its sort of like how the lash looks, only not as intrusive. These little bits of magnified eyelash sort of “float” on the surface of my eyeball and I can see them almost all the time. If I look sharply left, the spots sort of glide over the surface of my eye in the direction that I just moved it. Needless to say this is distrubing and distracting. I went to the eye doctor and he examined them and told me not to worry, that it was a normal breakdown of the gel in the eye itself which causes pockets to form and in turn causes the magnified eyelash effect, not something caused by wearing contacts too much. I don’t normally second-guess the doctor, but in this case I’m still worried. When I try and read I sometimes get so distracted by this that I can’t continue. Staring at a computer monitor all day (which I have to do for work) is an exercise in frustration because of this.

So my question is two-fold:

  1. Does anyone else experience this?

  2. Is there anything I can do to reverse the problem?

Thanks for any help!

You’re not alone.

“Floaters.”

That’s what my eye doc called them. He said that some people get them, some don’t. At the time (10 years ago?) there was no known cause and no treatment. I was told to live with it. Just part of getting older.

I must note that it has not gotten any worse than when I initially got diagnosed, so that’s a good thing. I just got used to it after a while.

Get another doctor’s opinion if it’ll make you feel better.

yup, i get them too and they come and go, it is not a constant thing. I had my eyes examined recently just to make sure they weren’t falling apart or something like that and I was told they were fine except that I have very dry eyes.

Thanks Delta, at least I know its not just me. I find it chilling that they don’t know why it happens or how to stop it though. It really has affect my quality of life, I only wish there were better news.

Yes, they’re floaters – a common occurrence. I’ve had 'em all my life (you may have too, for that matter). Floaters are bits of ocular tissue, stray cells, pockets in the vitreous fluid, and generally nothing to worry about.

Occasionally, however, floaters are bits of your retina. If you see “sparkles,” or dark spots in your vision, go see the doctor right away. Retinal detachment or vitreous can sometimes cause floaters.

You should get a second opinion from another doctor if you’re worried and/or they’re getting worse. If your eye doctor is not an ophthalmologist, consider seeing one. But in my non-expert opinion, it does sound like harmless floaters.

Cecil on floaters: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_311.html

I get them too and have had them as long as I can remember.

I suddenly developed a whole bunch of them in my early twenties. There was nothing otherwise wrong with my vision, so I didn’t wear contacts. I did have dry eyes, and later found out I had rheumatoid arthritus, which can effect the eyes. They never got any worse (this was twenty years ago), but I never did find out why they occured.

I’m part of you group of people too. Had them for as long as i can remember. nothing bad has happended yet though.

i belong to the mysterious left handed cult group too :slight_smile:

Do your floaters go away ?.. I only have one… but its been with me for 2 years ?

It can be scar tissues developing on your cornea caused by over-usage of contacts.

don’t use contacts :(…

Wow, I searched for that but didn’t see it in the archive, good call.

Thanks for all the info guys, this has been troubling me for some time.

No. :frowning: :frowning:

trader_of_shots, mine seem to come and go. Right now I don’t have any.

(Probably until I start reading tonignt!) :rolleyes: