Features of symptoms
It is not difficult to notice “floaters”, because they appear in the visual field and create a certain discomfort. It may seem to a person that a grain of sand or lint has gotten into his eye, but attempts to remove the foreign body are unsuccessful. “Floaters” can appear in front of only one or both eyes at once. They have a floating character, that is, they move following the direction of view. Such dots and “cobwebs” become most sharply and clearly visible when looking at a flat white background.
Often this symptom is accompanied by decreased visual acuity, headaches and the appearance of “flashes” and “lightning” before the eyes.
Causes
There are many factors that provoke white, transparent, black threads before the eyes. This may be due to pathological processes or physiological factors.
Main etiology:
- destruction – age-related changes in the vitreous body;
- injuries, especially with internal hemorrhage;
- diabetic retinopathy is a severe complication of diabetes mellitus, which is accompanied by damage to the optic nerve.
In the presence of systematic or chronic diseases, there is a risk of negative effects on the visual organs. If something floats before your eyes, this may be the first sign of serious problems. Such manifestations should not be ignored. Initially, you will need to be examined by an ophthalmologist.
Physiological
In some cases, transparent worms in front of the eyes may appear due to the influence of physiological factors. Each reason that can provoke such phenomena should be considered in detail.
Overwork
Long-term stress on the body and vision can be accompanied by unpleasant symptoms. For example, after working for a long time at the computer, reading, or watching TV, various spots, dots, spots, and threads may appear before the eyes. Such symptoms will disappear on their own after proper sleep and rest. To prevent it, it is recommended to perform eye exercises.
Bright lighting
If a person does not wear safety glasses in sunny weather or works in bright light, then he may observe the appearance of white threads. The symptoms are not dangerous, but safety glasses should be worn to prevent their occurrence.
Headache
The reasons for headaches can be different. This often affects the condition of the visual organs. Pain syndrome provokes tension in the eye muscles. Against this background, a change in blood pressure may be observed. A person can observe the occurrence of various manifestations before his eyes.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, various changes occur in the body. Severe fatigue, hormonal imbalance, and dizziness are often observed. Against this background, various changes in the visual organs may occur. Various flies, threads, spots appear before the eyes. A woman needs rest and a nutritious, balanced diet. Then such manifestations will disappear and will not arise.
Congenital eye structure
In this case, we are talking about the pathological structure of the vitreous body. Therefore, the appearance of floating threads before the eyes occurs constantly. It is impossible to get rid of this defect. Over time, a person gets used to it and stops noticing such phenomena.
Pathological
Causes that are associated with pathological processes require treatment. They occur against the background of a certain disease. They can only be eliminated by taking medications.
Damage to the vitreous
The cause may lie in injury or infection. These are serious effects on the eyes. As a consequence, cloudiness in the eyes, various nodules, flies, spots, threads occurs. They may often move in front of your eyes. Retinal detachment may occur. Severe complications can affect the deep layers of the vitreous.
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis, especially of the cervical spine, is one of the causes of dizziness and the appearance of spots before the eyes. This occurs due to poor circulation. Osteochondrosis is characterized by the appearance of black, floating spots in front of the eyes.
Manifestations tend to pass quickly. Occurs with an attack of osteochondrosis. They are not dangerous for the visual organs. Therefore, treatment should focus on the main cause – osteochondrosis.
Diabetes
People who suffer from diabetes should visit an ophthalmologist regularly. This disease can cause a serious complication – diabetic retinopathy. This can negatively affect the organs of vision.
Poisoning
Intoxication can be of different types. Once the cause of the poisoning is eliminated, the symptoms will disappear on their own.
Anemia
With the development of moderate and severe stages of anemia, various manifestations from the organs of vision are observed. Transparent lines and dots often appear in front of the eye.
But what leads to disruption of the transparent structure of the vitreous?
It could be:
- destruction caused by natural aging processes; traumatic lesions of the visual organs, as a result of which blood enters the vitreous body;
- eye infections;
- high degree of myopia;
- diabetic retinopathy;
- ocular migraine;
- neoplasms in the visual organs.
All these factors can lead to clouding of certain areas of the vitreous body and, as a result, flying “floaters”. If you notice that dots and “cobwebs” have begun to float before your eyes, you should in any case consult a doctor. But in situations where “floaters” appear suddenly after an injury, and there is also pain, high blood pressure and a noticeable decrease in vision, a visit to a specialist should be immediate.
It’s as if there are black threads floating before my eyes - what are they?
Almost every one of us, at least once in our lives, has had some strange small objects appear before our eyes: floating flies, circles, threads, etc. These translucent (often black) elements either floated to the center of the field of vision, then gradually settled, then they went to the periphery. In other words, black strings floated before my eyes - a kind of kaleidoscope built inside a person.
A similar phenomenon is called floating floaters in ophthalmology. And of course, many are interested in whether this is a pathology and how dangerous it is. And besides, how to get rid of these troubles?
To answer these questions, let's first remember how our vision works. When light rays enter the eye, they pass through the cornea, then are refracted in the lens, pass the vitreous body and land on the retina. The retina contains cells that can perceive the intensity (brightness) of incoming light, as well as its wavelength (color). After this, the recognized information enters the brain. Obstacles that arise in the path of light (or, subsequently, nerve impulses) can introduce significant distortions into the actually visible picture. So, floaters in front of the eyes are a kind of obstacle to the path of light - opaque areas (fibers) in the vitreous body.
Initially, the vitreous body is perfectly transparent. Therefore, when there are opaque areas in his environment through which light cannot pass or only partially passes, then these visual problems arise.
The appearance of floating black threads and dots before the eyes is called destruction of the vitreous body. Unfortunately, the reliable causes of this pathology are still unknown. However, it is generally accepted that the provoking factor may be disruptions in the internal antioxidant defense system. In fact, the vitreous body includes two fractions - dense and liquid. The dense fraction of the vitreous body is collagen fibers that are capable of sticking together under the influence of unfavorable factors, forming certain geometric shapes reminiscent of threads, balls of wool, etc. These formations are especially noticeable when a person looks at a smooth, light surface.
Ophthalmologists note that complaints from elderly patients about the appearance of spots before the eyes are among the most common during outpatient examinations. After all, almost 30% of the planet’s population suffers from this pathology. True, destruction of the vitreous can occur not only in old age. In fairly young people, due to a number of circumstances, threads and lines may also appear before their eyes.
It is worth noting that this pathology cannot be treated with conservative methods due to the lack of reliable data on the causes of its occurrence. As an option to combat this condition, it is possible to perform a surgical operation - vitrectomy (removal of the vitreous body), however, this method causes many complications.
Another surgical method is a laser procedure, in which an ophthalmic surgeon uses a laser beam to destroy floating inclusions that cause discomfort. True, to carry out such an intervention and ensure its effectiveness and safety, the highest qualifications of a specialist are needed.
In the medical department, everyone can undergo examination using the most modern diagnostic equipment, and based on the results, receive advice from a highly qualified specialist. We are open seven days a week and work daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Our specialists will help identify the cause of vision loss and provide competent treatment for identified pathologies.
Various types of rings and segments are implanted into the MGC for keratoconus. You can find out the cost of various implants and their installation, and make an appointment at the Moscow Eye Clinic by calling the multi-line phone number 8 (800) 777-38-81 (daily from 9:00 to 21:00, free for mobile phones and regions of the Russian Federation) or using the online registration form.
Dagaev Adam Huseinovich
How is this pathology treated?
The treatment regimen is selected after diagnosis, when the cause is precisely established. For age-related destructive changes in the vitreous body, there is no specific therapy. In addition, in most cases, destruction does not pose a threat to vision, unlike other pathologies of the vitreous body.
If cloudy areas seriously impede vision, your doctor may recommend surgical treatment. There are two main methods - laser vitreolysis and vitrectomy.
The first method involves the doctor using a laser to “break” the clouded areas into smaller particles that will not interfere with visual perception.
The second method, vitrectomy, involves the surgical removal of individual sections or the entire vitreous and its replacement with a clear liquid with sterile properties. Surgical treatment has a number of contraindications and can cause complications, so the doctor must decide on the advisability of the operation.
Treatment
Treatment for eye floaters may not always be necessary, depending on the cause of the problem. So, if the appearance of floaters is caused by destruction of the vitreous body, and they practically do not interfere with vision, therefore no specific treatment is carried out.
Identification of severe opacities in the vitreous body, which cause a decrease in the quality of vision, may be an indication for vitrectomy. During the intervention, part of the vitreous with opacities is removed and replaced with a clear, sterile liquid.
If the opacities are not large, but, in the patient’s opinion, interfere with normal vision, laser vitreolysis may be recommended. This is a modern, safe method that allows you to get rid of opacities in the vitreous body using a laser. Using directed laser radiation, the surgeon destroys large clots in the vitreous body. They become smaller and cease to be visible.
