Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Eye Floaters

If you are not familiar with the phrase eye floaters then you are not alone. Have you ever looked up into the sky and not only seen clouds, but also little microscopic worm or amoeba-like substances floating in your eyes? If you flex your eyes and look hard to the left or to the right you can get them all to shift over but as soon as you relax they will usually float back.

When I first noticed this I was younger and was pretty excited because I thought I had discovered a super power kind of like Heroes or X-Men. I know the ability to fly or have super strength are cool, but nothing can touch the super power of being able to see microscopic amoebas projected onto the sky with the naked eye. I'm wasn't sure how I would use these powers to defeat the forces of evil, but I was sure that some day the situation would present itself.

I thought I once remembered hearing that eye floaters were caused by good bacteria that lives in your eye and is nothing to be concerned about. If this is normal, then how come nobody talks about it and it is so hard information on the subject? Why are there no movies or TV shows about it? This topic is an untapped goldmine just waiting for someone to come along and profit from it. I can already envision eye floaters cereal, video games, and clothing lines.

I have been frustrated for the past several weeks since I could not find anything about this topic when I googled eye bugs, eye worms, etc. I was starting to doubt myself like Julianne Moore in The Forgotten, but then I finally got lucky. Thank you Wikipedia! Not only did they address the issue and offer an explanation for eye floaters, but they also had an artist's depiction of this phenomena which I have included at the top of the page.

As I'm typing these words right now I can see some eye floaters on the computer screen. I'd be interested to know who else sees these little guys when they look up into the sky.

15 comments:

Lana@The Kids Did WHAT?! said...

Floaters can also be a symptom of retinal detachment. I'm going through various testings for my left eye, as I have a constant floater. Hopefully yours is nothing serious!

Mary Bergfeld said...

Chaka, see an opthamologist. A floater is a miniscule piece of tissue that has sluffed off the lining. They can be benign or they can be precursors of some very serious eye problems. SEE A DOCTOR!!!

Tom said...

Those are not the light hearted comments I was expecting. I have seen occasional floaters since I was a kid, yet have always had good vision. I've never been to an opthamologist before, but I guess it's time. Yikes. This turned from a silly post to stressing me out, but thanks for the heads up.

Eric said...

Before I had the laser surgery in an eye, I had to wear a rather large floater in that eye. What a pain that was.

ps - hope the eye thing checks out ok.

Jeanne Estridge said...

I've got floaters, but the optometrist said it's part and parcel of growing older. Like the tinnitus in my right ear.

Since you're still a pup, be sure to let us know what the doc says!

Kelly said...

Chaka,
First of all, before I read your post and saw the photo I was convinced there was something on my computer screen. Now there is my spit on there as I was trying so hard to remove them. So thanks for that.

My husband is a neuro opthamologist. He just left for work but I will ask him about your floaters and get back to you if you like.

Kelly

PS Jeanne- how old do you think Chaka is? He's no pup. (sorry Chaka, I may be your only reader who knows your true age).

Unknown said...

I always thought it was just me who saw those things... I think I first noticed them when I was seven or eight.

Raine said...

Sometimes I see a crap load of black dots, but I assume that is different - I too thought that there was something on the screen! :D

Joanna Jenkins said...

I have floaters too but my doc says it's nothing for me to worry about... So I try not to.

Hope your weekend is good,
xo

Rosee Rouge said...

I see them too but had no idea they were bacteria! I'm totally grossed out now.

Once every few years I see little white or black dots. Don't tell me, I don't want to know.

MPorcius said...

I have lots of floaters, and always have, though they have gotten worse as I have grown older. (I am 38.) I have always been told they are nothing to worry about, that they are just protein left over from when your eyes were formed while in the womb. Mine look like strings of cells, and the strings float more or less independently, and when one or two bunch up on top of each other, they are much more noticeable.

I have mentioned them to eye doctors, and they have always reassured me they are no big deal, and there is not much to do about them. If you are nervous about them you should ask your eye doctor about them, though, of course.

Unknown said...

When I had a cataract removed, they obliterated it with a laser,and it created big time floaters for several days. People thought I was wierd because I would sometimes swat at a floater out of frustration, and of course it looked like I was swatting at an invisable fly or bee or misquito or gnat or ladybug or grasshopper or flying squirrel.

Jason said...

yeah i've had the same thing since i was a kid. i've always wanted to know more about em too

eye floaters treatment said...

Eye floaters also known as vitreous floaters which fill up the back 3/4ths of a person’s eye and hence one can observe small shadows on the retina. To individuals eye floaters appear alike tiny flecks, cobweb or cloud-like formation. There are two ways for removal of eye floaters known as vitrectomy and
laser Treatment. Laser treatment is more accurate than vitrectomy.

Tom said...

Wow, there is a blog called Eye floater treatment! Thanks for the update, but there is also a third option. Try to ignore them. I don't seem to notice them unless I'm lying on my back looking up at clouds.