Most of the time, floaters—those dots, lines, or other forms you perceive before your eyes—don't cause much concern. They frequently cause annoyance but are generally harmless. Floaters can occasionally signal an issue, though.
Consult a physician if you have:
Floaters that refuse to disappear
A spike in the number of floaters
Additionally, if you experience floaters, notify your doctor straight away, and
You notice light bursts.
A portion of your side view is obscured by a dark curtain or shadow.
Your vision is blurry.
You feel eye pain.
When these signs coexist, your retina could be torn or have undergone a more severe injury. A potential retinal break or detachment should be treated as an emergency. Your sight may be saved with treatment.
How Should You Expect Your Doctor to Act?
Your doctor could advise that you visit an optometrist or ophthalmologist, an expert in eyes.
The doctor may evaluate your eyes after administering eye drops to enlarge or dilate your pupils before asking you questions about your current eye symptoms and medical background. This enables the physician to view the retina and vitreous inside of your eyes.
The translucent gel in the eye called vitreous is what gives the eyeball its rounded form. You might notice floaters if changes in this area of your eye create shadows on your retina.
In addition, your doctor might perform further eye exams, like an ultrasound of your eyes. Your doctor might be able to perform surgery or specific methods to fix a retinal tear or detachment if you have one.
Am I Going to Need Treatment?
You generally won't need therapy if you merely have mild floaters and no retinal issues. If so, your physician might employ a unique laser.
The vitreous may need to be removed and replaced surgically if the floaters are significant, impair vision, and don't go away after several months, however this is uncommon. The procedure is known as a vitrectomy. A laser may also be used to treat floaters.
You could require a follow-up eye exam depending on what your doctor discovers and whether or not you receive treatment.
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