Eye Floaters: Condition & Treatment

What are eye floaters?

Vitreous floaters (or eye floaters) are the black lines, dots or squiggles you sometimes see ‘float’ in and out of your vision. They’re completely normal and usually aren’t anything to worry about, but when they start getting in the way of your daily activities, eye floater treatment can be an option.

What causes eye floaters?

The back of your eye is filled with a jelly-like substance (a bit like egg white in consistency) known as the vitreous humour. As you get older, this substance becomes more liquid and mobile, which can cast shadows onto the light-sensitive part of the eye, the retina. These shadows are what you see floating across your vision every now and again.

How are eye floaters diagnosed?

If vitreous eye floaters are bothering you, you’ll usually see your optician first for an eye exam and a chat about your symptoms and the effect they’re having on your lifestyle. If your optician thinks you might benefit from treatment, they’ll refer you to specialists like our eye surgeons for some more tests and to talk about potential eye floater treatment options.

How do you prevent vitreous eye floaters?

As eye floaters develop as part of the normal ageing process, it’s not possible to fully prevent them. If they become troublesome though, surgery is the only proven treatment for vitreous eye floaters.

What is vitrectomy surgery?

Vitreous eye floaters can be treated with a type of surgery known as vitrectomy. Vitrectomy is a procedure that treats eye conditions related to the retina, macula and vitreous humour.

Who might need vitrectomy surgery for eye floaters?

Vitrectomy surgery is recommended when your eye floaters are severe enough to consistently get in the way of your day-to-day activities, like reading, work or driving.

What are the benefits of vitrectomy surgery for eye floaters?

Vitrectomy surgery for eye floaters helps improve vision by removing the gel (vitreous humor) inside the eye, where floaters are found. This clears up the dark spots or shadows that can block or blur vision. For people with severe eye floaters that make daily activities difficult, the surgery can provide much clearer and more comfortable eyesight, improving overall quality of life.

What is the recovery process after eye floater surgery?

After your eye floater treatment, your consultant will give you some eye drops to use for up to four weeks to help your eye heal. These drops will help to reduce inflammation. Your consultant will see you again for a follow-up appointment to make sure your vision has improved and your eye is healing well. You’ll usually have a review 7-10 days after your surgery and then again at about 4-6 weeks.

What are the possible complications of eye floater treatment?

Although the vast majority of patients won’t experience any complications, as with all surgery there are some risks of complications. Our team will discuss these with you in detail at your appointment and will make sure you’re happy to go ahead with treatment.