DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 56-year-old male who has suffered from tinnitus for the past 15 years. Within the last year, I have noticed a lot of eye floaters, which seem to be worsening. My doctor says that my eyes are healthy. I don’t wear glasses.
I live a healthful lifestyle. I don’t smoke or drink. I have changed my eating habits and consume very little sugar and red meat. I do eat a lot of chicken, fish, juice and vegetables.
Is there anything I can do to get rid of the eye floaters? What can I do to prevent more from occurring? Is there a dietary change I can make?
DEAR READER: Floaters are small spots that occur around the field of vision. They typically appear as dots or cobwebs and drift when the eye moves.
Floaters are caused by the shadows of debris floating freely within the vitreous of the eye. As we age, the normally gel-like vitreous begins to liquefy, causing the center to become watery. As bits of undissolved vitreous float around in the fluid, they can cross into the range of vision, causing the eye to see the shadow.
Floaters are common and are generally harmless, but annoying. If, however, you see a “shower” of floaters, which may be accompanied by flashes of light, you should see an ophthalmologist immediately. These symptoms are often a sign that the vitreous is pulling away from the retina or that the retina itself is detaching from the back of the eye. If this occurs, an eye surgeon must work quickly to repair to reattach the retina to prevent permanent vision loss.
The only treatment available is surgical removal of the vitreous, which is usually replaced with saline solution. Eye doctors consider this drastic treatment only when floaters severely hamper vision.
If your floaters continue to worsen, see an ophthalmologist. If everything checks out OK, you will just have to adjust to them unless the physician agrees that your vision is obstructed severely.
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