aibu to go to the doctors about my eye floaters?

[NobodyLivesHere]

I have in the last week developed floaters in my right eye, they aren't huge but they extremely irritating.
I didn't think to much of it, until I mentioned it in passing to a friend who told me her mum had the same and it turned out to be a detached retina and she needed surgery. So then I was worried, rang my opticians but they can't fit me in until Friday. I've googled (because I am a dick) and freaked myself out because it says being very short sighted makes it more likely, and that it should be seen straight away.
Should I see my doctor? Or am I being insane??

I have had floaters for the last decade and due to high occular pressure get checked out at the opthalmic department at the hospital every 6 months. My doctors there and consultant said there is nothing to worry about. Your mind does end up filtering them out and I only see them now in bright lights.

Whoever said it above floaters are not caused by high blood pressure.

an optician is a much better place to go as a first call....you are highly unlikely to be fobbed off if the floaters are significant.

any issues and they will refer you directly to the local Ophthalmic services/eye dept.

good luck for your appt.

I had this recently, as someone says if you have an effect like curtains closing across your eye A&E..

I did and she advised me to go to the opticians. The opticians checked me out and all was fine. They did a lots of tests including a very annoying pupil dilation thingy. This was a couple of years ago and it has improved now apart from very sunny, summer days when I forget to wear sunglasses.

Good luck.

I have an appt with the eye clinic this afternoon. He said that he could see 'something' but couldn't be sure what? Just sitting out the DC and will be heading over. Thanks everyone.

Sorting!

Oh I've had eye floaters for about 12/15 years, never thought anything of them and never had them checked! You're all scaring me now

Thread has moved on but my mum had these and it was a detached retina.

Optician referred to specialise eye hospital that same day.

She had to have an op, pretty quickly too as if it detaches completely its hard to get back on!

She's fine now. Good luck OP!

I am short sighted and have had floaters for about 20 years (most noticeable in bright light). Optician says they are nothing to worry about unless they suddenly increase massively in number.

I am short sighted and recently developed floaters too...I was so scared! Optician said mine were nothing to worry about but to go straight to hospital if I see flashing lights. I only really notice the floaters now if I am looking at a white or bright background.

I had/have i assume floaters since 15 when looking down microscope.
Perfect eyesight.
Cataracts diagnosed at 15. (Congenital) have had eye dilation around then and all fine. Bit never mentioned the floaters as it never bothered me.

I had this happen and phoned the NHS number, is it called NHS Direct or something like that? Anyway they told me to go to A&E immediately and not to drive myself, I had to assure them that I wasn't alone and my husband would drive me. At A&E a doctor was called down from the ophthalmic ward. He examined me and I was given an appointment for the following morning. I don't think a GP would be able to know what was going on as they used some fancy looking equipment to examine the back of my eye. I have been given a card with a number to contact if it happens again and told that I must contact them immediately. So my advice is go to A&E now.

I was diagnosed with PVD today OP, I got hit in the face with a ball at high speed last week and it turns out I have floaters due to PVD. The consultant checked to be sure the retina was ok and it is. He said they will decrease over time and I will barely notice them. Hope you had a good outcome from your appointment.

I think the odd small floater or two is fine but mine was like a whole cobweb over one eye, I just knew something was amiss and I was right. Emergency laser treatment, had it checked a few times since and all OK.

Hope you are OK OP.

If it's sudden then I'd definitely get it checked out. DH has this - it IS something to do with a detached retina. His is under control but he has to visit the eye hospital every six months to get it monitored.

Minnie, it's new/different floaters you need to worry about.

everyone has them, some people notice them, some not.

So any new ones, sudden increase in quantities, or a big wafty cobweb, either with or without any pricks/flashes/arcs of light then visit your optometrist and discuss.

How did today go OP....are you home?

Its very likely to be a PVD (a posterior vitreous detachment) as the poster above suggested. Most people in their lifetime will get a PVD, its a normal ageing change.

In 10% cases it causes a small tear in the retina, which in in a percentage of those cases causes a retinal detachment.

rousette - all optometrists will have the equipment to check for retinal detachments - breaks in the retina can be seen as tobacco dust which is basically red blood cells in the vitreous. But you're right in that some small tears can only be seen by scleral indentation. There seems to be a cyclic nature for people presenting with a large floater being referred and research seems to show that it doesn't make a clinical difference if they are referred or not.

Basically, if you're over 50 and have a big floater go to the Optometrist and they will advise you what to do next.

Karoleann... I dunno, all I know is an optician referred me on to check it out, but I wasn't in this country at the time so maybe that's why. I'm not sure I would be happy with a high street opticians telling me it's OK. My tear was quite big apparently.

Rousette, our optician found a slight tear in dh retina as well. Recently his eye went cobwebby/cloudy and optician dilated his eye and found a small tear. She told him if he saw flashing lights to come back straight away. It seems to have healed itself. As I said above i have had lots of different types of floaters and my consultant is not worried at all. I do have a friend with who had a detached retina and it was like a curtain coming down. Thankfully due to having a lot of eye problems she recognised it and she went straight to hospital, where it was attached again.

Saw the consultant yesterday afternoon by which point things were getting worse, retinal tear diagnosed. As we speak I'm waiting to go to theatre. Don't mind admitting to being freaked out at them messing with my eye whilst I'm awake!

Oh bless you. Was wondering how you were getting on. Thank goodness you went to the eye clinic. Hope all goes well. Let us know how you get on.

Hope everything goes ok op. Thinking of you xxxxx

OP, hopefully it wasn't as bad as you feared, I've had LASIK and hated every second so I know that feeling! Glad you went to get checked out and hope you're on the road to recovery this morning. Eyes seem to heal very quickly in my experience so fingers crossed you're back to yourself ASAP