4 Treatable Causes of Eye Floaters

So, you have floaters in your vision. If you’ve only noticed these black or fuzzy spots in your vision, don’t panic. You probably have one of the many eye conditions that cause these floaters in the early stage of the disease, which means your eye doctor can recommend a treatment to keep the issue from worsening.

Our eye health specialists at Ventura Eye Institute in Camarillo, California, have the knowledge and technology to find out what’s going on with your vision, including diagnosing the cause of your floaters. 

Why could I have eye floaters?

Here are four possible reasons you might be seeing spots, and what we can do about them.

1. Aging

As you age, the fibers and vitreous humor (fluid) in your eye can shrink and start to clump together. These clumps look as if you have specks of dust in your vision, appearing as dots, lines, squiggles, or shadows. They may move around from time to time, seeming to “float” across your vision. 

Blinking or rubbing your eyes doesn’t help, and neither does using eye drops. If floaters are few and small, your vision will adjust around them. However, if floaters start interfering with your daily life, you may need laser treatment, which can break up the clots.

2. Uveitis

Uveitis occurs when the middle layer of tissue in the eye (uvea) becomes inflamed. The most common cause of uveitis is infection, although it can also be caused by autoimmune disorders or inflammatory conditions. 

Uveitis at the back of the eye wall can affect the retina and cause floaters to appear. Typically, antibiotics can clear an infection, or anti-inflammatories can reduce swelling. Corticosteroid eye drops can help reduce uveitis symptoms and provide relief.

3. Diabetic retinopathy 

Diabetes that isn’t controlled can cause high blood sugar over a long period of time. This damages the tiny blood vessels in your eye that feed the retina, allowing blood and fluid to leak out and causing the retina to start to detach. 

Diabetic retinopathy can be averted by strictly controlling your blood sugar. However, once diabetic retinopathy occurs, you may need eye injections or laser surgery to stop leakage and protect your remaining vision.

4. Wet macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 55 who live in developed countries. Wet AMD is more aggressive and progresses faster than dry AMD.  This condition may be mistaken for floaters at first. It can cause extreme fluid buildup in the back of the eye, leading to blurry spots in your central vision. 

There is currently no cure for wet AMD. However, it is treatable with injectable anti-VEGF drugs, which can slow the progression of the disease and (in some cases) restore some lost central vision. Laser therapy may also help seal leaking blood vessels.

Do you have dots, spots, cobwebs, lines, or other visual disturbances? At Ventura Eye Institute, we help you find answers. Call 805-388-1211 or visit the contact page to schedule an appointment.