Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Distress about eye floaters, seeking some positivity

73 replies

Mojomonkey · 28/12/2020 14:20

Can anyone please offer me their positive experience with eye floaters, in that they either settle down or they bother you less as time moves on?
I have several cobwebby/ dotty ones going on in both eyes, had them about a month, have been opticians and they said they I would stop noticing them but I haven’t and now i have got myself in a bit of a state!
I also have tinnitus but am adjusting to that a bit better than months ago when it first started. Please only positive replies, I’ve already read lots of negative stuff and it’s really worried me.

OP posts:

FatGirlShrinking · 28/12/2020 14:21

They really do fade or your brain stops noticing them. I found sunglasses in bright light really useful, they seem more noticeable in bright artificial light, so a tinted lens dims that a bit.

MistleTOEboughski · 28/12/2020 14:23

I had one and it disappeared after a few months.

Redcrayons · 28/12/2020 14:29

I’ve had them for years, as long as I can remember. I thought everyone had them until I mentioned it to my exH and he had no idea what I was talking about.
You really do stop noticing them.

Mountainpika · 28/12/2020 14:32

I get small ones and they disappear. But several years ago I had a huge one - like a drop of ink in a glass of water. Phoned the helpline and was told to go straight to A&E. Was thoroughly checked out and it was a bleed. They told me it wasn't serious and would clear in time but I had an open appointment to straight in to them if it recurred. It didn't, fortunately and apart from a developing cataract, my eyes are OK. I wear glasses but have done so for over 60 years. Have them tested regularly.

So if it gets bad, seek help ASAP.

mrwalkensir · 28/12/2020 14:32

Are you short- sighted OP? I only reall6 notice mine when looking at a plain surface etc. But I'm naturally very short sighted ie long eye socket, so optician has warned that shoukd always go to A&E if a very large one suddenly appears

LakieLady · 28/12/2020 14:32

I've had them for years, and am totally used to them now.

Titterofwit · 28/12/2020 14:33

They are really annoying arent they.
I had a whole eye lace curtain floater a few years ago. I was so alarmed that I took myself off to A&E as I thought I was going to need some special treatment.
Happily I was told after some tests that ,like you, it would soon be unnoticeable by my brain . I think it took a couple of months before I couldnt see it. Although It probably didnt help that I kept trying to see it by concentrating on my near vision.
I also have tinnitus and similarly I find the more I 'listen' the worse it gets. I can go a long time between hearing my tinnitus . Its always there but I really dont hear it .
Ive found that if Im stressed or have had a very busy day it seems to be worse and needs no concentration to hear it but if Im just living my life and being involved in outside things I do need to tune in to get the sounds.

Of course then I wish I hadn't tuned in at all but there you go.

formerbabe · 28/12/2020 14:34

I have them...they were annoying at first. I don't notice them now unless I'm looking at a plain white surface

vanillandhoney · 28/12/2020 14:34

You just stop noticing them after a while. I only notice mine now if I'm shattered or really concentrating on something. You'll get used to them over time :)

Original poster

Mojomonkey · 28/12/2020 14:36

Thank you everyone, I am quite short sighted, I wear glasses and have them double thinned! I know they won’t harm me, and to get help if I get a curtain shadow thingy, I really hope I can get my brain to adapt. Taking my son for a walk in the snow this morning, I was so distracted by them! Thanks so much for your replies x

OP posts:

okokok000 · 28/12/2020 14:36

You do get used to them. If you have a sudden increase in number o would seek immediate help though.

zaphodbeeble · 28/12/2020 14:37

I’ve had them for years

zaphodbeeble · 28/12/2020 14:38

Forgot to say, I was very short sighted, had my eyes lasered but they’re still there

Shoppingwithmother · 28/12/2020 14:39

They become one of those things that you only notice when you think about them. Because you are worrying about them at the moment, you are noticing them more and then worrying about them more... etc, etc. It’s like a vicious circle.

Your optician has checked and said all is ok, so stop worrying about them and you will notice them less and less.

They are more obvious when you look at a pale bright background with no detail- eg a clear blue sky or a white wall or a bright computer screen.

I’ve had floaters since I was 12 years old, and I am an optician, so I speak from experience!

emmaluggs · 28/12/2020 14:40

You do notice them a lot less. If I’m tired or it’s bright it can take a day or so for me to forget them again, but you will stop noticing them

Original poster

Mojomonkey · 28/12/2020 14:47

Thank you everyone, you really have helped to calm me down! X

OP posts:

LemonLymanDotCom · 28/12/2020 14:54

I’ve had them for years, and you really do stop to notice them. On the odd occasion I have one I do notice it, I tend to follow its path with my eyes (if that makes sense) & they tend to float off...? God knows what I look like doing it though!!

FrazzledChip · 28/12/2020 14:58

Worth having the OCT scan if your opticians offer it as an extra (ours charge £10). I have suffered from floaters in one eye for about 3 years. I opted for the additional OCT scan and that picked up a macular pucker or epiretinal membrane. It's a condition that may fix itself or may need surgery in the future. They wouldn't have picked it up necessarily without the extra scan.

Completely agree though that the moment you think of them the worse they get.

Original poster

Mojomonkey · 28/12/2020 15:04

Thank you, yep had the OCT scan, was told all good, a bit of the jelly at back of eyes has lifted which is what’s causing the floaters, but optician not concerned. It’s just me trying to adapt to them that’s the problem

OP posts:

Chloemol · 28/12/2020 15:06

Ihave floaters had them for years. You need to stop thinking about them, that’s part of the issue. You will then find them fading and you don’t see them anymore, even though they are still there

Original poster

Mojomonkey · 28/12/2020 15:10

Thanks, I totally agree with you, I’m reassured to hear that people are able to tune them out in time, I will try hard to distract myself and stop dwelling on it

OP posts:

FrazzledChip · 28/12/2020 15:11

That's good then. If they were concerned they'd have you back I'm sure. Mine were monitored by optician for a couple of years and I'm now waiting to see the consultant. They haven't got noticeably worse (from my point of view) but the optician is playing it safe as they can see some increased pulling. They've been brilliant though.

Hope you can find some peace with them. I find avoiding minimalist decorating helps - out with the white walls.

RozHuntleysStump · 28/12/2020 15:14

I have a few too. And tinnitus! So annoying and I get why you’re stressed. It’s pretty normal though.

bigbluebus · 28/12/2020 15:17

I had them in my left eye following a flash in my eye which lead to an emergency opticians appointment to check for a detached retina. All clear given by optician who also advised that floater would settle. It took a while but I couldn't tell you when I stopped noticing it - but I have. I seemed to be able to clear mine by turning my head a few times and it was definitely more noticeable when driving/reading.

Soontobe60 · 28/12/2020 15:18

Ive got pretty bad eyes - astigmatism in both, short sighted badly in one, not as much in the other, now need quite strong reading lenses too. I got floaters in my left eye (which is my worst eye) about a year ago, along with flashing lights - I thought I was going blind! It really bothered me for a few months, but eventually I realised it had stopped.

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread