I have recently noticed black dots and squiggles in my vision

[Beauregard]

I think they are called floaters.
I made the mistake of googling and i am worried now as i cant recall noticing them before.
I am 32 and i have a severe stigmatism in both eyes and i have chronic sinus problems if that makes any difference,
Does anyone know anything more about them?

[DisasterArea]

i had this a couple of weeks ago. convinced myself my retina had detatched and i was going blind. go to optician tomorrow. get checked.
mine are nothing to worry about just seriously annoying.

[whomovedmychocolate]

I think you are worried about age related macular degeneration, but you are about 30 years too young for it to be that, unless you were very unlucky. Stress can cause this as can high BP. Go see an optician

[Poledra]

Have had floaters all my life - hvae very bad eyesight. They get worse when I have been staring at a computer screen a lot, or doing anything else which strains my eyes. I have been told they are nothing to worry about. Flashing lights was what I was told to look out for, as I have a higher risk for retinal detachment.

[Beauregard]

I notice them more first thing in a morning.

[PavlovtheCat]

Sometimes you can get this as part of a migraine. For some people, this is all they get, others get other symptoms too.

I get two types of migraines, the least common one is this, usually I get 'floaters' my vision goes and I feel very very spaced for a while afterwards. I do not usually get a headache with this kind of migraine, but sometimes feel sick.

[Winetimeisfinetime]

I have loads of these and they are very irritating.

According to my optician they are completely benign although if you suddenly get loads of new ones { and/or flashs of light like lightening } you should get it checked out just in case it is a problem with your retina. You get more as you get older and if you are short sighted. They travel round your eye so when they are at the back of your eye you won't see them and are more noticable when you look at bright screens and are in a bright environment.

So they are another bloody annoying aspect of the aging process but are generally nothing to worry about.

[WendyWeber]

I have masses of floaters - they are particularly annoying if I'm trying to spot eg "look at that bird!" in the top of a tree

They seem to go with myopia & although they can be a symptom of something more severe - eg detached retina - IME they are just something you learn to live with.

Unless you suddenly get flashing lights, or huge black floaters, they are not something to worry about. I am at higher than normal risk of detached retina too (very myopic + close relative with detachment) but my optician is very calm & reassuring about it. Which is nice

[Beauregard]

Thanks for the replies

I will try and get to the optician in the next few weeks along with the smear test and dentist appointments i need to make lol.

[Ellbell]

I have them too pfnm and I also have very bad astigmatism. They are almost always just annoying, but they can occasionally be a sign of a detached or detaching retina. This is more likely if you are also very short-sighted with your astigmatism (I am also about -14 in both eyes!). It's worth getting them checked, if only to reassure yourself. But when you ring to make the appointment, tell them that you'd like them to look at your retinas. You'll need drops to dilate your pupils enough for the optician to look at the retinas properly, and they will make your vision go funny, so you'll need to go by public transport (or walk, obviously), not drive (or get someone else to drive you). It takes about 3 or 4 hours for your vision to get back to normal. By the way, despite having such rubbishy eyes, my floaters are nothing serious - just annoying! But you've reminded me that I should get mine checked again quite soon, just in case.

[jabberwocky]

It is a good idea to go in ASAP just in case they are something more than vitreous floaters (i.e. hemorrhage or detachment). More than likely you are fine but you really don't want to wait a couple of weeks in case you are not. Call tomorrow.

[Ellbell]

Oops, bit slow posting, sorry.

[Beauregard]

Oh heck now i am bricking it again

I am off on holiday on saturday and wont probably get time to go before.

[zazen]

If they're just floaters you'll be fine!

If you're getting flashes and sparks, probably best to get it checked out.

A walk in opticians appointment would set your mind at rest till you get back, if you can't get an appointment with your regular one, but I wouldn't bother if you just have floaters.

[edam]

Um, I don't want to worry you, Pelvic but I really would cancel other stuff in order to get to the optician.

[Beauregard]

Hmm not sure it is that tbh

I will try and get an appointment if i can work a time out.

Off to bed in a minute as my eyes are so tired they feel like someone is pulling them.

Thanks for the replies