Floaters in Vision — What to do?

[Dgd6mm]

I just started getting floaters today. I kept thinking they were gnats flying around, not a lot but I could see them for a split second then nothing. Mostly when I move my head or eyes around. Called my brother who worked with his opthomologist father in law and said it happens and went over what his father in law used to treat

Gonna call my Dr tomorrow for an eye check up, I'm due for one anyway. I remember an old high master shooter blaming his floaters on the 9s he'd get now and then, don't know if he was telling the truth or not. Thanks for looking.

There was no question in here looking from forum members for medical advice.
Carry on mousegunner and let us know what your Dr. tells you.

 

[Brians356]

Floaters are indeed a part of the aging process.

Really? I first noticed them when I was in elementary school. Always was told most people have them, and they're perfectly natural. I hardly ever notice them, but they're always there. I'd take more floaters in exchange for less tinnitus, believe me.
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[Brians356]

Does that explain missing doves during dove season?

No, stopping your swing explains that.
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[mousegunner]

So went to the Dr today and she told me it's part of the aging process. She looked in my eye and said she could see them and the retina was in good shape. Not as noticeable today but she said your mind gets used to them and since they're small that's why they weren't as noticeable as when I first saw them.

So just I think I'm doing o.k. my body says not so fast, watch this!

 

[EGBrown]

Here's my story. I had a few floaters. Went in for my regular eye exam. The next day I had one that covered 60+% of my right eye. No floating to it. It stayed in one place. It was like looking through a vail. I went back back to the doctor for some help. The mass as I call it showed up on scans-pictures whatever they call it. She put me on a supplement. Said 50% of her patients showed improvement. I started out being able to clearly see it while driving down the road. In 5-6 weeks it had subsided to where it was like looking through a window screen. I'm 3 months in and it is still slowly fading as well as all the other floaters I had. She said to take it for 6 months. Doesn't cost much and worked for me.

https://www.amazon.com/Macuhealth-VitreousHealth-Evidence-Supplement-Floaters/dp/B0B61S6ZCP/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?adgrpid=1332609729852306&hvadid=83288367579789&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=81597&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83289109674718%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=26379_11678949&keywords=vitreous+health&qid=1689331599&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

Thank you for this link!!!

 

[Ropemaker]

Bilberry supplement takes care of my occasional floaters as well as improving night vision. It allows the tiniest blood vessels to open allowing more flow. I have found it combats eye fatigue, like glassing pd towns etc. and glaring headlights during nite driving.

This was found out during WWII with British air crews.

 

[1lessdog]

I had a horseshoe tear on my retina. I went in and they lasered it to stop it from going any farther. I had blood floating around in my eye. They said it will float to the bottom and brain will cancel out the tear.

Its been close to 2 month and still see the tear on bright sunny days.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Floaters in Vision. What to do??
Click your heels together and wish you were maybe 30 years younger?

 

[Shooter13]

I'm trying the stuff @DaveTooley mentioned and giving it a go. Nothing to lose. Thanks Dave

 

[Old Navy]

I'm trying the stuff @DaveTooley mentioned and giving it a go. Nothing to lose. Thanks Dave

Please keep us up dated on your progress.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Seems like I read something about floaters being blood leaking into the eye? If that's the case, maybe watch the blood thinners and Aspirin??
Had a couple of floaters for about a couple of weeks but they seem to be gone for now. WAS heavy into Aspirin for a backache but that seems to be OK for now. Maybe Aspirin related??
Have noticed stinging in my fingers at times, black and blue spots (bruises) and after a few days, all gone. Thin veins in the hands and fingers?? Use to get that in my arms while working over my head working on cars. Maybe all related?? And remember, Doctors are "PRACTING MEDICINE".
Have has a few Doctors telling me I should go to work with them cause I seem to have a pretty good idea of what goes on. It's called Common Sense. If it hurts when you do that, DON'T DO THAT!!

 

[majohnson]

The other thing that has seemed to improve the flashes and the floaters, has been vitamin A. My sister said she been on vitamin A for years, and even her optometrist said it has improved her vision. I’ve take the vitamin A for close to 4 months, it has help with the light flashes I have when it dark. There is a narrower light band flash as I move my head.

 

[Pareto]

Reading this thread has sort of got me down. The cures for floaters seem almost random and the risk of further eye damage is non-trivial.

I have just started having floaters due to a torn retina. The operation seems to have gone ok this weekend, but whatever caused the tear and the floaters (which appeared all of a sudden last Thursday night), a big main floater is still there. It looks like a 3D sketch of a jellyfish using dark pencil and a bit of blood and it's right in the center of my eye. Looking through a scope, it turns my best scopes into dark cheap Chinese scopes and I often can't see the cross hairs/target dot at all. The doc says that in about a month the floater should subside and my brain will edit out much/most of the floater. I hope he's right. As it is he told me no strenuous activity for a month and that includes trap or skeet as well as rifles and pistols with noticeable recoil. He thought that rimfire benchrest was about the most I should venture into for the next four weeks. Possibly longer. He didn't think much of strong recoil guns for someone with aging eyes and potentially greater eye trouble.

Sigh. I just got into this hobby (guns and clay shooting) in the last two years and it would be a shame if I have to give a lot of this up due to eye issues.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Had em since I was a kid. Used to really show up when we used to coyote hunt on the snow. They just bug ya a little bit. If they hurt ya , Id been dead years ago. Doug

I have also had them since I was a little kid.

 

[gdbleb]

The doc says that in about a month the floater should subside and my brain will edit out much/most of the floater. I hope he's right.

My experience aligns with your Dr's recommendation. A lot of the junk will be absorbed/ingested and your brain will get used to the remnants or what my Dr. called "your little friends". Give it time and lay off the recoil.

 

[divingin]

At 63, I guess it's not surprising that I have a few floaters. The first one showed up about 10 years ago, and appears as a thin bundle of tangled thread with a loop at one end (which I read somewhere is pretty common.) Other smaller ones have appeared, but can easily be ignored/moved to the point they don't bother me. The big one sometimes drifts through the axis of vision, and can be bothersome when shooting bullseye pistol. Usually I can wait it out until it drifts a little more. Never really looked into getting anything done about it.

 

[escopeta]

My cataract eye surgeon replaced both of my lenses 10 years ago and he said he can eliminate them if necessary. At 78 my floaters are small and not apparent all the time, and have not been an issue. Lot of advancements in eyecare surgery in past few years.

 

[Brians356]

My cataract eye surgeon replaced both of my lenses 10 years ago and he said he can eliminate them if necessary

I've never heard that, and frankly I'm a little skeptical. My hunch is there's a risk/reward calculus involved, not to mention expense. Seems to me it would require filtering or completely replacing the fluid.
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[escopeta]

I've never heard that, and frankly I'm a little skeptical. My hunch is there's a risk/reward calculus involved, not to mention expense. Seems to me it would require filtering or completely replacing the fluid.
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Will ask him when I go for my next year visit. He only does laser surgery and has been doing it for long time. He used the same lenses on me that he used on his father, who is 96 and still drives. The Cadillac option and not cheap but after 11 years still 20-20 and no complaints.

 

[durand mortenson]

Had em since I was a kid. Used to really show up when we used to coyote hunt on the snow. They just bug ya a little bit. If they hurt ya , Id been dead years ago. Doug

You got it Doug.
I didn't notice mine until our first big snow one year I had them removed and all was good. Now I have one that sneaks out of the corner of my left eye.

Mort