It's like my eye has thread/dots/dust on the lens

[BlogOnTheTyne]

Does anyone know what this might be? For the last week or so, I've had what seems like a 'dirty lens', on my left eye? But of course I can't rub it off. I can see what seems like pieces of thread and black smudges/flecks floating around as I look - especially looking at bright light surfaces.

I'm short sighted and wear contact lenses or glasses but even without either, the same thing is happening.

I've googeld it - inevtiably - but it either says something very benign like normal ageing (I'm 50) or something terrifying like detaching retina - seek urgent medical advice. I have absolutely no time whatsoever to go to an opticians and in any case the one I use is a half day away and you have to book up weeks ahead. I've got one of my DCs shortly to have a major operation and tons and tons of stuff going on - including f/t work before then.

That's why I'm posting on here, although I know I can't get proper medical advice. I guess I want someone to say, I had that and it was just normal ageing. But if anyone had these symptoms and it turned out to be something hideous and urgent - then I suppose it would help to know this too and what exactly your symptoms were - so I can compare with mine.

I think in the case of detaching retina, you also get flashing bursts of light, which I'm not currently getting - nor indeed other symptoms. But are there any other indicators to look out for to self-diagnose whilst I'm too busy to book an appointment which wouldn't in any case be for weeks?

I have the same thing and have done for about a year now. I went immediately to the opticians who did a thorough examination and said my eyes look absolutely fine, and that the specs/shadows were just cells in the fluid of my eye. There's nothing they can do about it, but your eyes learn to adjust so you notice them less.

I would go and see an optician to rule out anything serious. I just called around and went to the first one with an appointment - which was about half an hour later. If you explain your symptoms and say you're worried about retinal detachment, they should be able to fit you in as an emergency.

I've had floaters for years. In my case they're nothing to worry about, but I've had them checked out a couple of times when they've been bigger than normal or once when one end was attached giving a tornado effect which could have indicated a detaching retina.
Be gone to my optician first as they have latest equipment for checking things out and then eye hospital just to rule things out.
If they've suddenly appeared and/or they're getting worse its definitely a good idea to get them checked out.
They are more common in people with very short sight due to the shape if the eye.

You need to find/make time to go to an optician. Worst case, yes it could be your retina detaching. High prescriptions are at more risk of this. If it is your retina detaching you could lose your sight.
It may be normal, the eye has fluid around it and some people get debris floating around. After a while you learn not to see it any more.
However do you really want to take the chance? You can also go to your local A&E which should have an ophthalmologist on call (or larger hospitals have an eye casualty unit) but you will probably wait longer there than an opticians. Please be aware the optician MAY refer you to eye casualty immediately depending on what they see. Good luck!

Please go to the opticians, any, tomorrow. I didn't have any if the classic symptoms but more floaters, a sort 'contact lense swivel ' though it wasn't fir about a week then the next day the 'curtain' came down. I had my first operation the next day . 15 months later still very difficult but I have a very small amount if vision in that eye rather than the very scary 4 months if total blackness. I am/was very short sighted and was 39 - has dramatically changed my life

It sounds like floaters- which are harmless. But go see an optician to get a professional opinion .

I had these last year - very sudden. Also had the flashing lights in corner of eye, so went to opticians first, and got referred to local eye hospital to get it checked out. As I suspected, it was Posterior Vitreous detachment, which is very common in older people (I'm 66) especially if you are short-sighted, so nothing to worry about. You should get it checked, though, detached retina is a serious condition, and only an eye clinic can decide what the problem is. They would dilate the pupil with drops and examine the back of the eye with bright light, so no driving afterwards for about 6 hours. Both of mine went in a matter of weeks.
Floaters are so annoying, but your brain will eventually "filter" them out, and you won't notice them.

Do you HAVE to use your regular optician? There may be a nearer one with more appointments available, and all you need is for a qualified person to have a good look and advise you onwards.

Thanks to everyone for their input. I got an emergency appointment at the opticians today and thankfully there isn't any sign of retinal detachment - just some obvious floaters. I am SO relieved!

The optician told me however to go to A & E IF I got flashes of light or a sudden greater veil or covering over the eye and also not to particpate in extreme sports (as if!).

She was really brilliant - a locum and muych better than any optician I'd seen before and she gave me a new eye sight prescription as my sight had changed and not bene picked up a while ago by the regular optician and also told me to get silicon lenses instead of the ones I currently have which I think are flexible/floppy gas permeable.#

There was no way I could have managed if I'd had to go into hospital as I have absolutely no childcare back up at all and don't know what i'd have done with DCs. Makes me realise how vulnerable our family is as DCs are solely and utterly reliant on me being there and also earning all the money through self-employment. I just cannot ever ever be ill!

Glad all OK, Blog, and that you got an emergency appt. Your eyes are precious, so problems should never be ignored.

I am curious about the 'no extreme sports' comment. I have had floaters for years and do take part in a somewhat extreme sport- I realise a bash to the head isn't great for the eyes, but are those with floaters at greater risk of damage then?

Well the optician said that the floaters were caused by the jelly substance in the eye - which is what partly holds the retina in place - pushing it back, starts to break down into a more liquid substance, resulting in the floaters/debris. So the implication seemed to be that the more this happens, the more you need to be careful not to cause sudden jerks/knocks to the head as the retina wasn't as securely attached.

I don't know if this is exactly what she meant but that was what I picked up from what she said. She said no bungee jumping in a jokey manner but went on to say no extreme sports where there's a sudden jerk to the head or your head's more likely to get knocked around.

Seems like this has done you a favour all round - I take it you will no longer be using your old regular optician?

Same as mine, Posterior Vitreous Detachment.