Black floaters in eye

[Elsiid]

Yesterday I suddenly got a couple of black floaters in my left eye and they're driving me nuts. I hoped a good sleep would help but they're still there today.

Does anyone else have this?

Yep, it’s common and they get worse as you get older. It’s nothing to worry about. You will get used to them. It’s worse if you’re looking at something like a clear blue sky or white wall. They’re more noticeable then.

If these are new for you then you need to make an urgent opticians appointment to have them checked out as they could be a sign of retinal issues. But yes floaters are very common and often increase as people get older.

I am 41 and very short sighted - minus 9.50 both eyes with astigmatism and lattice degeneration (retinal issue) and have so many floaters it’s like looking through a mucky snow globe. Very frustrating.

Had them for years but for the last 2/3 they have been so much worse. That coinciding with the sudden onset of migraines means my eyes have been tested a lot! Basically told it gets worse with age (I’m 42!). Please
do get booked in for an eye test though just to be sure all is ok.

I've had them since I was a teenager. I don't notice them unless looking at a blank wall or at the sky. It's just little bits of dirt at the back of your eye and nothing to worry about

You need to go and get checked out today, floaters can be a normal part of ageing but if they’ve suddenly appeared out of the blue it could also be a sign of retinal detachment.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/detached-retina-retinal-detachment/

It can - and is more likely to be - this - but you’d need it checked to know … (this is what my flashing lights and floaters recently turned out
to be)

www.rnib.org.uk/eye-health/eye-conditions/posterior-vitreous-detachment

If it's sudden onset I would go to get an emergency appt most opticians south of England are doing same day, if you suddenly start getting flashing lights or a cobweb then go to a&e. But as pp said I'm hoping it's just a PvD which happens with age. Good luck

Thank you, I've had them before just floating across my eye but never had ones that have stayed all day.

Where would I go to get my eye checked, just an optician? Sorry if that sounds thick

If they increase go to your nearest eye hospital,

Optician will do the job and if they are concerned they will do a referral.

Assuming that the optician says they are ok then sunglasses help as they are more noticeable in bright lights, your brain will get used to them after a few days and will filter them out so you don't notice them.

You can just ring round local opticians and explain that you’ve got new floaters and you’d like an urgent appointment. If you don’t get anywhere doing that try 111.

Check your blood pressure too.

It can be a sign that your retina has detached! Please see an optician urgently.

Some hospitals have an eye a&e you can go to. Another one saying please get checked this was a sign of a detached retina for me as well!

Yes, this.
I have a partially detached retina. Had it for about 10 years.

Have told my nearest and dearest that if I have a sudden large amount, I am not to go to the optician, according to the optician, but straight to a&e. It would mean my retina has detached.

@Elsiid I was a Surface Pattern Designer but had to change jobs because of this as I couldn’t design accurately. You need to see an optician. The optician I saw told me they were permanent. I have learned to live with them but I hate them. I was told to use an eye gel lubricant just before I sleep.

Thank you all very much, I'll call the opticians at 9

How did you get on?

My mum just had (private) surgery for hers and they’ve gone completely. They literally sucked the jelly out of the back of her eye ball and replaced it. Floaters totally gone! Optician told her there was no treatment too but clearly not the case if you’re prepared to pay.

Sorry that message was meant for @InquiringMinds

@Foreverbaffled thank you from the bottom of my heart for telling me ❤️ I was so shocked when told nothing could be done and so were my family. Just passed on what you have told me, we are all so grateful 🙏 You have literally given hope back to me.

@InquiringMinds oh you are so welcome! My mum was incredibly down about it for several years. I believe some forms of laser surgery can help too but she wasn’t eligible for this as her floaters were so bad. She had something called ‘vitrectomy for floaters’ with a Consultant called Mr Tanner in Reading. This was three weeks ago. She can now see perfectly out of that eye and was doing jigsaw puzzles today for the first time in ages 🙂 It was expensive but worth it totally. Good luck ❤️

Yes - but massive risks - cataract, IOP rise are common and you can also get detachment. It's only worth it if you have a massive bleed.

Michael Jackson found someone to give him increasing levels of surgery.

OP - new floaters need investigating. How old are you? If you're over 60 it's probably just a PVD (normal) but you can still get a small tear in the retina.
Optician fine - just let them know you are getting floaters.

Yes she was well aware of the risks! Not sure what Michael Jackson has to do with it…