Eye floaters and severe anxiety

[Jaydeelee]

Back in August last year I developed several eye floaters. They made me quite panicky, but I was seen by a couple of opticians who said they're not dangerous, just irritating (and permanent). Since then I've become very anxious about them, and have developed many more - there are dozens in each eye, and unless I'm wearing dark glasses they are really disturbing my vision. I've had them checked out again by a consultant ophthalmologist and was told the same thing. I'm so frightened that long term I won't be able to actually see my children (4 and 2) grow up and it's affecting my work life terribly too - I have been having panic attacks that mean I spend hours cowering in the loos or driving home, as they're even more noticeable (if that's possible) when I use a computer.

The floaters are awful and I am not enjoying life now. I'm fearful for my children's future and I worry about everything, all because of these dreadful permanent fixtures to my vision - what if they get worse?! I'm having high intensity CBT and have been put on a low mood and stress course, but these are not working. Anything I find on the internet is negative and I'm at my wits' end. My poor husband, children and parents are also affected by my floaters, as they're all I can focus on.

Does anyone else have really bad eye floaters, and if so, have you managed to learn to cope with them? I'm desperate to feel normal again and enjoy my beautiful family, but at the moment I can't see how this is possible. I'd love to hear some positive stories, so if you have any, please, please share - I'm desperate to feel a little hope that life can be enjoyable again.

Thank you so much. x

[Pinkharts9]

Lizzy, SSRIs definitely make you feel more anxious & nervous at first! This is the most common side effect. It usually goes away in a few weeks once you stick to a dosage amount. Every time you go up on the dosage, the side effects tend to return for awhile. So try to hang in there as this difficult time usually passes.

[Varya]

Had a floater like a tadpole which lasted for one whole year. Now I just have a small black spot floating about now. Very trying.

[Chocqueen99]

I just imagine mine getting worse as time goes on I chuffing hope not..
I've been at the seaside last few days an there always bad there on the beach & what not.


Lizzy I'm not putting my real name on here lol my friends would end up knowing how much of a hypercondriac

[Chocqueen99]

How is everyone getting on?

[Pinkharts9]

Just popping in to say hello & give an update on myself. I'm feeling a bit better with the floaters. I don't see them as much & when I see them, I'm getting better at ignoring them. I hate them with a passion but I understand that they are just a part of me & I need to accept them. I'm much better than I was in July & August, when I was literally sick every minute of every day thinking about them. So it does get easier.

I'm also still on Lexapro, and that might be helping too. I take 10mg daily & I'm probably going to up it to 20mg.

How is everyone else?

[coveredinsnot]

I suddenly developed loads of floaters in my mid twenties after having a few for most of my life. Completely freaked me out and I Googled which made the anxiety worse. However nothing came of it, really the issues was noticing them and worrying about them. Ten years on and they're still there, sometimes they're annoying as there's so many. I had to accept their presence and just get on with it, worrying does absolutely nothing useful. I'm glad you're getting CBT, I hope you have a good therapist who's hot on treating worry, it responds very well to CBT usually, but just make sure you do the homework! ACT is also a brilliant therapy for worry, look up Russ Harris. Anxiety reduction and acceptance of uncertainty are your keys to relief

[coveredinsnot]

Ah good so glad things are improving! Lexapro is fantastic for anxiety. Has CBT helped much?

[Chocqueen99]

I go through phases of worrying more & seeing them more, they are quite bad but there was a little while where I didn't notice them as much. But have only had them since May I do worry that I will just keep getting more... that's my biggest fear.. but Antidepressants helped me a lot.

[Pinkharts9]

I meet with a therapist once per month. I'm in the US so therapy is not cheap or free, unfortunately (or I would go more often). But she is a great therapist & we do CBT exercises. I used to suffer horribly from social anxiety but she helped me to overcome that. That was years ago. But anytime I have some sort of anxiety flare-up, I go back to see her & she helps me. So yes we are working on acceptance & living in the moment. Not worrying about the future & all the uncertainties in life. That, in addition to the Lexapro, are helping me a good bit (I believe). And since my anxiety has lessened a bit, my floaters are not as noticeable. Don't get me wrong, they're there & they're worse now in my 30's than they were in my 20's but I have to accept I can't do anything about them. They may or may not get worse but they are a part of me & I have to accept & ignore. So that's what I'm working on! :)

Also, they are clearly much more common than people realize. For example, I was originally told it's rare to have floaters in your 20's or 30's but SO MANY PEOPLE have them! Especially when you ask online & everyone chimes in that they also have them. So I don't feel as alone as I used to.

[Brittanyshere123]

Is this post still active? If anyone's still here, I would like to share and listen to someone else's story with eye floaters and health anxiety in hopes to possibly better myself or someone else

[cookiedoughballs]

Hi Brittany - I have eye floaters and health anxiety. Feel free to PM if you want to chat

[bizarrojoe]

Hello,

I just wanted to chime in and thank you all for posting such positive stories about floaters. I (a 38 year old dad) have recently been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and I've been experiencing floaters for several months now. I'm taking AD medicine, and seeing a therapist for CBT. It's been really hard living with these constant intrusions (plus dry eye!), and Google searches have done nothing more than make me feel more hopeless.

However, reading your posts here have been refreshing. It's good to know there are other people with the same challenges, who have been able to move past the initial panic that I've been feeling. I hope that with time, I'll learn to accept how my eyes are and live a happier life with my family.

[Brittanyshere123]

Thank you guys so much for all of your posts, it really helps knowing you're not the only one.
Recently I've been noticing something, maybe it's always been there and maybe I'm just hyper-aware of everything I see, but when I go into the sunlight when it's really bright outside, I see these tiny lights when I blink. Does this happen to anyone else? They go away after I go back inside, I feel like I've always had them, but of course my anxiety is making me believe that I have a brain tumor or something awful. Does anyone else struggle with this thought?

[angiesmithy]

How are you doing now?

[angiesmithy]

Are you better now?

[heatherp36]

Hi, I've received some comfort in reading these posts as I am going through major health anxiety over some floaters that I have that I seem to be seeing more than I ever have (hopefully due to anxiety!) I've always had major health anxiety and have been on celexa for the past 18 or so years. Does anyone have a type of floater that seems to stay in the same area of your vision? I have one super annoying darker one that moves around with my eyes, but always stays relatively in the top left area of my vision. I've had it checked out and they said it was just a floater, but I always thought floaters would change their positions throughout the eye. I'm going to see another optometrist about it, as I am worried the first optometrist may have missed something. I am terrified I have a tear or will have a detached retina.

[Wiredmum]

Wow just read your reply to eye floaters it’s an old one but thanks you so much for your reassurance I’m also very short sighted -17 and -11 and I’m so glad someone out there is like me and doing ok, I’ve terrible anxiety surrounding around vision so I understand how hard it is to fixate in floaters I’m guilty I also see pushing vision, haze and so much when I force my mind on something else I notice it less

[SilverTheCat]

@Wiredmum try not to worry. I have a prescription of -8 or 9 and mine can be bad. I just

[SilverTheCat]

... posted too soon

I just ignore them and I then can't see them. If I look at a white wall and concentrate - there they all are!

It's a form of health anxiety so that's what you have - not a problem with your eyes.

[Wiredmum]

Thanks for the reply I’m slowly coming to realize that my anxiety is the problem, I also have tinnitus which I think was caused by the anxiety it’s only by reading these threads today I realized it 🤭

[SilverTheCat]

Yep. There's nothing wrong with your eyes. Floaters go hand in hand with high prescriptions and they're just not worth worrying about. I cannot see any at all today but just now I've looked towards a light and concentrated hard and oh hello! There they are!

[mumwon]

as you get older it is quite common to have floaters - (my optician says) by all means get them checked by optician - they can check back of eye to make sure nothing is untoward as well as other tests. They are always more noticeable in bright sunlight so sunglasses are a good idea. Most people refer to them as their tadpoles -my optician refers to mine as whales they are more likely if you have other eye problems such as eye pressure or extreme short sightedness -

[mumwon]

ps I am extremely short sighted &(ahem) a silver fox but I do fine drawing & the only thing my eyes have stopped me doing (advised by optician) is parachuting & bunging jumping - damn & always wanted to do that (not!!!!!)

[feren]

Hello, how is everybody doing? I developed eye floaters 4 months ago and made me crazy. Im very young only 21 yrs old. Im shortsighted but only -2,5 both eyes and i dont know why i had floaters cause from i know floaters only appear at elder people and extreme shortsigthness. Im really feeling despair , they are really annoying!! I have the long stringy one only on right eye. I cant enjoy life anymore, almost every night i cried and cried. For anybody who had floaters and learn to ignore them and enjoying life please share your story!!

[feren]

Hello, are there still people here? I have floaters and they drove me nuts. Can we really get used to floaters and learn to ignore them? Experince from you guys will really help me.