Vitreous floaters

[Seamus]

Hi there,

About four months before the onset of my dry eye I developed vitreous floaters (like black specks floating past your line of sight). I have had both for the last four years, but I was just wondering if anyone else had ever experienced a connection between floaters and dry eye?

Best wishes,

- Seamus

[Judy]

Hello Seamus, I have both dry eyes as well as vitreous floaters; the floaters came about quite recently and I've not thought (previously) that it was due to my dry eye condition. But who knows? It will be interesting to hear from others...

[brd888]

I have both too

Me too and both in the left eye. I don't think they are connected although both came about in the same year. Also DES is an external eye problem whereas Vitreous Floaters are inside the eye. So no connection in my opinion.

[dryeyes2]

Hi Seamus,

I don't think there is a connection between the two. I think some floaters are normal in most people, however, if you are nearsighted or in the age where you might be needing bifocals, you might have more floaters. Has your opthalmologist checked this out? A lot of new floaters can be the sign of an impending retinal detachment. That happened to me. This was long before my dry eye situation started. It started off about 6 months before the detachment. If you notice any blind spots, or if you have any flashing lights get checked immediately.

Floaters can also be caused my posterior vitreous detachment, which is a normal aging process, but there was the concern in my situation of retinal detachment again, so I was followed by my retinal surgeon to make sure nothing was going on. They just followed me for a while until the process was complete.

Best wishes,
dryeyes2

[indrep]

Small floaters are normal and unrelated to dry eye issues. Large floaters should be checked out as well as in spider web, flashes, or feeling of a curtain being pulled across your vision or any peripheral vision loss.

[lboogie]

I have notice a web of floaters after my lasik..........I was just chalking it up to another complication to live with. But perhaps I should tell my doctor. It's been this way about 2 months now probably. I only like like one small floater prior to lasik. Floaters weren't mentioned at all in my pre-op visit OR in the consent form -- but research says it happens.

[calli66]

I had vitreous detachments in both eyes within the last 5 years--I was 53 and 55. This was also the time when I was really struggling with the onset of severe dry eye. I was diagnosed with Sjogren's last fall---so that explains the dryness---but I have often wondered if the two were somehow connected. They (doctors, "experts") always say the vitreous detachments are "normal" for aging people, but that they don't typically occur in your 50's--more like in your 70's or 80's. That's what I heard from a couple of docs.

Anyway, I was thinking that the Sjogren's might weaken the collagen or tissue in the eye structures somehow. It's definitely targeting the tear ducts. I haven't read anything at all to back up that thought, but just wanted to bring that into the discussion. I'm not sure anybody's done a study looking at the prevalence of vitreous detachments in SjS.

C

[dryeyes2]

My vitreous detachments have happened during my 40s.

[faithlies]

My floaters (right eye) developed at the same time as viral conjunctivitis.

The treatment for the conjunctivitis (lots of drops) was what I believe caused my dry eye, my optician agrees.

My optician agreed that the floaters were connected with the inflammation of my eye caused by conjunctivitis.

So perhaps in some cases, where someone has inflammation and/or reaction to treatment (in my case, preservatives in the drops) the floaters are connected?

Mine were horrendous in my right eye and have finally calmed down after about three months. I still have a couple, but they're not half as severe or noticeable than they were. Initially, I couldn't go outside in bright light without them seriously disorientating me.

[calli66]

DryEyes2--in your 40's. That makes me feel like it's not so uncommon to have the vitreous detachments at a younger age. Thanks for the in-put.

Does high myopia have anything to do with floaters, do you guys think? I'm a -8.00 myself. I can remember floaters as far back as when I was 10 or 12.

I sure have a Boat Load of them now---the air's just swimming with them. I'm used to it, but my vision is definitely affected--for the worse, naturally.

C

[Jade9923]

Yes to the last post. High myopia does put you more at risk. You should be careful if you have floaters. When mine started, my doctor did a regular dialation of my eyes and found a retinal tear. I had that repairs through lazor and this other type of surgery (cryo..using cold). I still have a lot of floaters but when they change in any way, I go to the doctor. They found another retinal tear a few years back and I had that one repaired to. I get dialated every 6 months to check for tears. I'm a -11 and the doctor said I am much more at risk for tears. Be concerned about any floaters. Have your doctor dialate your eye and make sure you don't have a retinal tear.

[GinaJ]

Hi. When I got bleph and dry eye I developed many floaters. I had my eyes dialated 4 times in a few months. One of the docs said they should calm down if I can get a handle on the bleph and dry eye. Who knows though cause I have seen 5 docs and they all same something different. It seemsa huge fluke that I had none maybe one to many and this dry eye/bleph started. I didn't have lasik but I read that if you do some people experience floaters

[dryeyes2]

Yes, high myopia increases chances of floaters and chances of retinal detachment. You should see an opthamologist for a full dialation and exam. I had lattice degeneration in my late 20s with a detachment. I was probably about a -8.00 at the time. That eye now is a -13.50. I had a scleral buckle put on the eye with the detachment and cryo surgery to repair the holes in the other eye. I am followed by a retinal surgeon on an annual basis.

Lattice degeneration can also run in families, so if you have it, have your siblings or children checked too.

dryeyes2

[brd888]

Maybe

Actually I originally said I didnt think these were connected.

They shouldn't be - one problem is outside the eye the other inside.

However, I got floaters in my left eye six months before I got dry eye in my left eye. Right eye has negligible floaters and dry eye is not a problem in that eye (although Optometrist said right eye is dry too). So maybe there is some connection.

Regards.