Floaters, or muscae volitantes, are the small spots you may occasionally see in your field of vision. You may notice them in many different forms, including dots, threads, or cobwebs. Floaters can appear to move away when you attempt to look directly at them.

How Are They Caused?

There is a clear, gel-like fluid located inside of your eye called the vitreous. Floaters are caused when the fluid condenses together.  Floaters are a natural part of the eye’s aging process, as your vitreous gel shrinks and detaches from your retina as you age. Eye surgery, eye disease, or eye injury are other uncommon causes of floaters.

What Treatments Are Available?

Surgery to remove floaters is extremely rare. Oftentimes, individuals who have floaters learn to live with them, occasionally moving their eyes to shift the location of the floaters. Looking up and down may be more helpful than looking side to side.

Should I Be Concerned? 

Typically a small number of floaters doesn’t mean that you have a serious eye problem, and you shouldn’t worry. You should see your eye doctor for your regular eye exam, and make another appointment if your floater condition worsens.

Should I Seek Medical Attention?

If you have a new onset of floaters, anything that looks like lightning bolts, flashing lights,  spider webs, or a veil/curtain in your vision you should seek immediate medical attention. These could be signs of more serious conditions and you should consult your doctor as soon as possible.

CALL THE CATONSVILLE EYE GROUP TODAY!

Here at the Catonsville Eye Group, providing the best patient care is out #1 priority. The professionalism of our doctors coupled with our capable and caring staff, state of the art technology, and extensive frame and lens options are what have made Catonsville Eye Group the first choice for families in our community.  We strive to provide the best possible professional care at fair and reasonable prices to our patients in the most courteous way possible!

If you would like to schedule an appointment, order contact lenses, or ask questions about our services at Catonsville Eye Group, please call our office at (410) 747-1221 or email us by clicking this link. We will respond to your request within 24 hours. You can also schedule an appointment online! You can access our web scheduler through our website or Facebook page.

We’re located at the heart of the Music City at 611 Frederick Rd., Suite 101. Drop on by, or schedule an appointment today. We’re looking forward to seeing you!