Eye Floaters | Mumsnet

funinthesun19 · 2021-06-15T17:28:01+00:00

I’m just wondering if these are common in people my age? I’m 31 and have two floaters permanently there, and that has been the case for about a year now. I keep worrying that I have something wrong with my eyes [sad] I had my eyes thoroughly checked last month. I had my pupils diluted and the optician checked the back of my eye, and I even had one of those scans to check for conditions etc… Everything came back fine. But the eye floaters still worry me a bit. Has any one else had eye floaters at my age?

BeeyatchPlease · 15/06/2021 18:34

I've had them for years and I'm 35. They're pretty common and nothing really to worry about unless accompanied by other issues (blurred vision, pain in eyes etc). Occasionally mine are a lot more obvious to me, especially in bright lights but I can usually just forget about them.

Original poster

funinthesun19 · 15/06/2021 18:55

They can be quite irritating can’t they at times? Yes I can see them more in bright lights and on a light background. Most of the time I can forget them too, but I’ve been unwell these past few days (covid ) and they’ve just been so much more noticeable than usual and I’ve had more time to think and stress about them.

What do yours look like? I have one that looks like a thread moving about when I move my eye, and the other is a very small black dot which I don’t see quite as often as the thready one.

OP posts:

Original poster

funinthesun19 · 15/06/2021 19:05

diluted

I didn’t have my pupils “diluted” just to be clear I had them dilated though.

OP posts:

TheLeadbetterLife · 15/06/2021 23:33

I got floaters last year for the first time, age 38. I don’t know if it was a coincidence but I think they appeared after what I assume was an inner ear infection (I was mildly dizzy for a few weeks).

Anyway, the optician didn’t see anything to worry about, and I’m having my eyes checked again soon.

I do notice the floaters more when I’m stressed. They’re also more visible in bright daylight or if I’m looking at a white wall. Sometimes if I roll my eyes for a bit they slide out of the way somewhat.

I have a few dark spots and some cobwebby strings. Very annoying.

HalfShrunkMoreToGo · 15/06/2021 23:38

They're pretty common and if the optician has confirmed your eyes are in good general health then they're nothing to worry about. Try tinted lenses, they really help in the bright light to make them less obvious. I have transitions lenses in my glasses that darken whenever I'm in bright lights and they've helped loads.

JedRambosteen · 15/06/2021 23:40

If you have a sudden uptick in floaters with or without bright flashes it’s important to get your eyes checked urgently. Both can be symptoms of a retinal tear or detachment. Bright flashes need to be investigated especially urgently. A sudden increase in floaters can indicate your retina is on the move or be the result of a bleed in your eye. (Not an optometrist, just have a lot of eye problems in the family.)

HereForTheCakes · 16/06/2021 09:46

I have lots of floaters, known of them all my life. Confirmed at about age 16. More recently I had a blurred spot which I got checked out and the optician gave me a clean bill of eye health, it's either a really big floater or it's just slightly attached. I've adapted and hardly notice it now. But she did comment that I've got more floaters than she has ever seen, so I'm vigilant for the risk of retinal problems as I age.

Wishchun84 · 30/09/2021 13:13

Hi i jus got this stupid eye floaters like a month ago. It all started when i got this dry eyes for 2months and all of a sudden, i see eye floaters. I'm extremely depressed and really dont know how to cope with it. Whenever i go, i see it all around me. And it is only night time that i find relief. I used to love hikings but with these eye floaters, they are just nuisance to me. I dont know how to deal with it. Can someone help? Life seems meaningless especially when i wake up everyday and they are still there. Googled alot and all people said are to just ignore it but how? And why they said it will float and disappeared within few months? Those friends who encountered these told me they are here for good and it doesnt appear fader or even lesser. I dont know how to continue with my life...

Mamabear12 · 30/09/2021 16:37

This is very common and super annoying. I’ve been told to just try to forget they are there. Had an eye exam and scan today all well. Mentioned the floaters and that is what I was told. I already knew this though as I of course googled it. You get used to it and they have been there since I was young. More noticeable now bc I tend to worry and focus on things. But I forget about it sometimes and then don’t notice them.

Wishchun84 · 02/10/2021 16:51

Thanks mamabear12. I hope there will be a cure in the future instead of just telling those who suffered from floaters to just ignore it since this is something so common and affects the quality of lifes. Just because this isnt life threatening or as bad as cancers doesnt mean nobody died from these.

DuchessOfDisaster · 08/11/2021 22:50

@TheLeadbetterLife

I got floaters last year for the first time, age 38. I don’t know if it was a coincidence but I think they appeared after what I assume was an inner ear infection (I was mildly dizzy for a few weeks).

Anyway, the optician didn’t see anything to worry about, and I’m having my eyes checked again soon.

I do notice the floaters more when I’m stressed. They’re also more visible in bright daylight or if I’m looking at a white wall. Sometimes if I roll my eyes for a bit they slide out of the way somewhat.

I have a few dark spots and some cobwebby strings. Very annoying.

I have those. Came on on Friday when I thought one of my false eyelashes had fallen off or my hair was in front of my eyes. I've made an optician appointment because my cousin had a severe case of vitreous detachment last year and could have lost her eyesight but hopefully this is nothing as bad as that. (She's fine now - had some treatment that wasn't nice but she made a full recovery).

underneaththeash · 10/11/2021 00:03

There's absolutely nothing you can do about them....apart from shoot them with a laser and make them smaller.

I've had lots of patients who found mindfulness/yoga massively helpful (obviously in their acceptable, rather than their presence)

NeedWineNow · 14/11/2021 13:49

I ended up at Moorefields this week because of eye floaters and a vertical light when I blinked. I was particularly concerned because I had a bump on my head about 7 weeks ago. I was told there was absolutely nothing to worry about, everything fine and that it was due to age and that if have to live with it. They should lesson as the brain adjusts and the lights will fade. I might also get it in my other eye, which is something to look forward to!

DuchessOfDisaster · 14/11/2021 22:30

@NeedWineNow

I ended up at Moorefields this week because of eye floaters and a vertical light when I blinked. I was particularly concerned because I had a bump on my head about 7 weeks ago. I was told there was absolutely nothing to worry about, everything fine and that it was due to age and that if have to live with it. They should lesson as the brain adjusts and the lights will fade. I might also get it in my other eye, which is something to look forward to!

Oh I hope you get on OK. I had my appointment on Friday and was told similar, it is nothing to worry about and part of the ageing process. They gave me a very thorough examination and I was in for an hour and a half. Ageing process at (almost) 46 ...

NeedWineNow · 15/11/2021 13:52

@DuchessOfDisaster I know, it was very dispiriting to realise that I am actually aging and won't be able to tell everyone I'm still 21