Urban Optique
4935 40 Ave NW #132 Calgary AB T3A 2N1 (403) 286-4142
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Calgary, AB

403-286-4142

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Eye Floaters 101: Causes, Symptoms, & Treatment

Updated November 2019

Approaching the topic of eye floaters can be a double-edged sword. In most cases, seeing a couple specks or strands of floaters is not a cause for concern. However, seeing many floaters suddenly can spell permanent damage to your vision if you do not seek medical help immediately.

But what are these floaters? And how can you know if they are going to affect your vision?

Floater Causes

Benign floaters are usually caused by your eyes aging but can be seen at any age. As you get older, the jelly-like substance inside your eye, known as vitreous, becomes partially liquified. This process changes the shape of your eye and the vitreous starts to clump and string together.

These clumps and strings block light entering your eye, creating a shadow on your retina which we call floaters. These are quite harmless.

However, floaters are a cause for concern if you see many of them at once. The reason for there to be a lot of floaters suddenly in your vision can be varied, but all can mean vision loss if you do not look for emergency help immediately. 

Floater Symptoms

Common floaters affect your vision quite minimally and you can experience them in a couple of different ways. They can look like semi-transparent specks or strings, sometimes moving on their own or whenever you move your eye. Floaters are most noticeable if you are looking at bright surfaces, like white walls or computer screens.

A burst of floaters or floaters developing at a much more frequent rate are an emergency and can signify eye damage. These floaters can be caused by a retinal tear, bleeding in the eye, or even the complete detachment of your retina. You will be able to tell this is an emergency because you will also experience:

  • Eye pain
  • Floaters occurring frequently with changing sizes and shapes
  • Blurred or lost vision

Treating Floaters

If you start experiencing floaters more often than normal, contact your eye care specialist to book an examination. During your exam, your doctor will dilate your eyes to get a better look at the vitreous. Depending on what they discover, they can recommend different treatment options to alleviate your symptoms.

Treating floaters happens pretty infrequently and is only recommended if they are impeding your vision. Your ophthalmologist can recommend either surgery to remove vitreous or using lasers to break the floaters up.

In the surgery, your ophthalmologist makes a small incision in your eye and removes vitreous, along with its floaters. The vitreous is replaced with a fluid to help the eye keep a normal shape. While it can help reduce the number of floaters you see, it might not be able to remove all floaters, and new ones can still develop.

An ophthalmologist can also use a laser, which is aimed at the floaters to break them down. That being said, it does not remove the floaters entirely and some patients have stated they have experienced no difference in their vision.

What Can You Do?

The best way to prepare your optometrist to help you deal with your floaters is to come to the appointment with a list of all your symptoms, medications, and questions you might have. From there, your optometrist can recommend the right treatment for you.

Request your appointment today if you are looking for relief from your eye floaters!

Written by Russ Reisner

Dr. Reisner and Dr. Kuntz (who is also Dr. Reisner’s uncle) acquired and expanded Urban Optique into its current location in 2006 and 2007. Dr. Reisner was born and grew up in Limerick, Saskatchewan – a small farming community about an hour south of Moose Jaw. After attending the University of Saskatchewan he earned his degree in Optometry from Indiana University in 2001. Dr. Reisner is very proud of everything he and his colleagues have accomplished.

More Articles by Russ Reisner

Our Location

Located on the main floor of the Market Mall professional building. Providing eye exams, in-stock contact lenses and over 2,000 frames from over 40 brands of eyeglasses. Free parking is available for this Northwest Calgary location.

Address

4935 40 Ave NW #132
Calgary AB, T3A 2N1

Contact Information

  • Monday: 9:00am - 6:00pm
  • Tuesday: 9:00am - 9:00pm
  • Wednesday: 9:00am - 9:00pm
  • Thursday: 9:00am - 6:00pm
  • Friday: 9:00am - 6:00pm
  • Saturday: 9:30am - 5:30pm
  • Sunday: Closed
  • Dr. Russ Reisner
  • Dr. David Schmidt
  • Dr. Pri Tawar
  • Dr. Nevin McIvor
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