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Original poster

Eye floaters causing severe anxiety - positive replies needed!

25 replies

CorrinaW · 11/10/2016 17:15

I have posted before but I am still really struggling with my anxiety over my eye floaters. I have had several sessions of CBT and I am on antidepressants but weeks later, I just don't seem to be able to get a grip. I feel almost phobic about seeing the floaters - especially at work and have turned my screen to a black background! - and can't believe this is happening as I have had floaters for YEARS without being bothered about them. They increased so gradually that my brain just filtered them out. I want to get back there but can't find my way! I feel so worried my brain has now hard-wired itself to seeing them all the time even though my CBT therapist tells me the brain is plastic and therefore it cannot be hardwired! This is affecting my home life and my fulltime job is a real struggle. I would love to hear from those who have floaters and are not worried about them - like I used to be!

OP posts:
Cinnamon2013 · 11/10/2016 17:18

Sorry to hear how you've been feeling. Have you ever had your eyes checked out by an optician/eye hospital? To put your mind at rest? I had an episode of anxiety around this and found taking it to the conclusion (seeing a professional) did calm me down, and the anxiety went.

Caper86 · 11/10/2016 17:19

Do you have them constantly? I get them if I'm tired, stressed or have had too much caffeine

Cinnamon2013 · 11/10/2016 17:19

And yes I still have them sometimes, but understand now why they occur, which helps.

Badders123 · 11/10/2016 19:45

Blimey
I've got LOADS
They are an irritant but nothing more to me
My optometrist assures me they are normal - part of aging was his lovely reply Smile
I'm sorry yours are making you so stressed

BennyTheBall · 11/10/2016 19:50

Have you had them checked out.

My mum gets them and was told by optometrist they are almost always nothing to worry about.

DreamingOfADifferentMe · 11/10/2016 19:56

Corrina, I get them too, though mine progressed from little subtle floaters to more overpowering weird vision disturbances so I went and asked to be checked out again. Mine, it seems, are connected to migraines. Sometimes you don't need to get headache pain for you to be in the grip of a rotten migraine, so it could be that. Ask your GP if this is possible? I've been prescribed some beta-blockers and since taking them, they've all but disappeared and my headaches have dramatically reduced. Good luck!

MonsterINTHECupboard · 11/10/2016 19:59

I've got a few floaters in one eye. I noticed them when DS was a few months old. I was looking out the window at a pure blue sky and wondered what all these black scratch like things and dots were in the sky!!! I worried and worried and worried. Then I went to the optician. They are completely normal and very common. Rarely notice them now.

bingolittle · 11/10/2016 20:00

What is it you're anxious about? Do they just seem more noticeable and irritating than usual, or are you worried that they are a sign of anything sinister?

I've had mine for about 25 years now; they irritated me when they first appeared (expecially when reading/writing), but now I tune them out. I have loads and forgot all about them until I read your post!

You have nothing wrong with you. Good on you for getting therapy to help you deal with the anxiety - you are doing all the right things and I'm sure you'll be feeling better soon.

PipandNut · 12/10/2016 18:53

They're more common the worse your eyesight is. I'm minus 9 in both eyes so as you can imagine, mine can be bad. I sometimes look at my pale grey walls and it's like watching a shoal of fish

They're irritating but because I'm not anxious about them, my brain tunes them out. As I'm now thinking about them, I've looked up and concentrated, and yes they're there!

You know this already but it's not a floater issue, it's an anxiety issue - unless you can point me in the direction of a 'death by eye floater' case?

You need to find the best way to deal with the anxiety

Original poster
CorrinaW · 14/10/2016 16:57

Cinnamon - thank you for your reply. When you say you still get them sometimes, do you mean they are they are always there but you only notice them sometimes? That was how it was for me but now that I can't stop thinking about them, I see them all the time - vicious circle!

OP posts:
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 14/10/2016 17:01

Have you seen a Optician? Would a really thorough eye health check help?

Original poster
CorrinaW · 14/10/2016 17:02

Hi Badders
Do you have different variations of floater? I can just about accept the transparent threads but I have a particularly annoying grey blob in my left eye which is always appearing on my computer screen and when I'm reading. It does sink back down out of view but the slightest movement and it's there again. It is really driving me out of my wits and I can't believe I wasn't noticing it before - even though if I'd actively looked I would have seen it.

OP posts:
Count2three · 14/10/2016 17:10

I have floaters and background anxiety. The two are related.

Original poster
CorrinaW · 14/10/2016 17:10

PipandNut - what are yours like? Sorry, I know I am being ridiculous about this but I have become obsessed. I have threads and blobs, some transparent, some grey/black. There is nothing wrong with my eyes, I know - and I've had these buggers for years as I'm -4.50. They increased and clumped together gradually over the years but my brain just ignored them. Unfortunately I accidentally read someone's post on floaters by pure accident when I was looking up something else regarding my daughter. The woman was upset and I felt sorry because they just weren't a problem for me. But this led me to think about them more which in turn made them more noticeable until one day at work when I was reading a long document I realised this 'blob' I have kept floating up every time I started a new page. I remember thinking I mustn't let it get to me as I've experienced anxiety in the past over something else. Unfortunately I dropped like a stone into the pit of anxiety - hence the ADs and CBT!
More positive stories please!!

OP posts:
Original poster
CorrinaW · 14/10/2016 17:11

Hi - how do you manage?

OP posts:
Malermalergoni · 14/10/2016 17:21

My eye floaters have been a sign for me that my thyroid was out of whack. I felt very anxious about them too, but actually I think the anxiety was down to the thyroid too. Have you had yours tested?

Original poster
CorrinaW · 14/10/2016 17:24

Thank you BingoLittle - that's very positive! I wish my brain could remember how to tune them out but they swish about so much that I am astonished it ever could! I ought to be able to get back there but anxiety is an evil beast!

OP posts:
Original poster
CorrinaW · 14/10/2016 17:27

I haven't had my eyes tested for 18 months but then I know there's nothing wrong and it's anxiety that's the issue. But I do wish that the lasers they have now were effective on younger people and not just the over 50s. To have them zapped away would be fantastic but they're too close to the retina!

OP posts:
Kittykat1976 · 14/10/2016 17:35

I have severe floaters. You notice them as much as your brain decides to. Months can go by when you don't see them and other times they are constantly in the way. Theoretically you could have a vitrectomy to reduce them in severe cases but usually not needed. Phones and computers highlight the problem as they are against bright white screens. :(

Count2three · 14/10/2016 17:38

Oddly my floaters seem improved since I started using ortho k contact lenses. My eyes won't tolerate other forms of lenses. Unsure if this is a coincidence.

Count2three · 14/10/2016 17:40

My occasional anxiety is unrelated to my floaters. I use exercise and cbt type thinking to manage the anxiety flare ups. Currently weaning off ssris.

Daisyandbabies · 15/10/2016 22:21

I have lots, I thought everyone did to be honest. If I attention to them they're awful but the brain learns to block them out when occupied. I have dot, squiggles, blobs and fuzzy bits.

Fairylea · 15/10/2016 22:25

I have severe short sightedness and tons of floaters. I am also very anxious and started a similar thread if you search my username!

I try very hard to just ignore them.... It's difficult.

ninenicknames · 15/10/2016 22:38

Don't want to freak anyone out. But literally the last 2 weeks my Aunt was complaining about floaters, I sometimes get them so told her not to worry.

She goes to the optometrist & woah .... detached retina, A&E instantly & emergency operation.

Just get it checked for peace of mind Flowers

sohackedoff · 15/10/2016 22:48

Floaters here. Had them for years and have been told they are nothing to worry about.

For quite a long time I had health anxiety. I have lots of odd symptoms and I would worry about what my future held because of these symptoms. Had CBT which didn't help at the time but then had help from a medical herbalist. That calmed my thinking so now when I get fearful thoughts I'm able to counter them with "...but I'm alright at the moment". I think we can ruin our now by worrying about our future. Hope this makes sense.

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