TARP - RP Messenger Archives

From the Archives of the RP Messenger: Spring-Summer, 1986: Floaters
"The small specks or "bugs" that many people see moving in their field of vision are called "floaters." They are frequently visible when looking at a plain background, such as a blank wall or blue sky.

"Floaters are small clumps of gel that form in the vitreous, the clear jelly-like fluid that fills the inside cavity of the eye. Although they appear to be in front of the eye, they are actually floating in the fluid inside the eye and are seen as shadows by the retina (the light-sensing inner layer of the eye.)

"Floaters are usually of little importance, representing an aging process. The vitreous gel shrinks with time, pulls away from the retina, and causes floaters. This is especially common in nearsighted people or after a cataract operation.

ARE FLOATERS EVER SERIOUS?

As the vitreous gel pulls away, the retina may be torn, sometimes causing a small amount of bleeding in the eye with may appear as a group of new floaters and even a blacking out of part of the fields of vision. When this occurs, immediate examination is important to determine if a retinal detachment has developed."

Excerpted from "Eye Opener, the official newsletter of South Texas Retina Consultants, Corpus Christi, Texas.

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