# Eye floaters



## crokseti (Jan 25, 2011)

Someone mentioned that they had "eye floaters" 
on a previous thread.
 I have them from getting metal bits in my eyes while grinding welds at work over the years.
 I was wondering if lasics would clean up the lenses.
 I used to have exceptional eye sight but after years of welding now need glasses to read fine print and can't see clearly at distance like I used to.
 Fishin knot tying gets interesting at times.
I can look up on a clear day and see all kinds of crap on my lenses.


----------



## Miguel Cervantes (Jan 25, 2011)

crokseti said:


> Someone mentioned that they had "eye floaters"
> on a previous thread.
> I have them from getting metal bits in my eyes while grinding welds at work over the years.
> I was wondering if lasics would clean up the lenses.
> ...


 
I've had them for the last 25 or better years. According to my opthamologist, they aren't on the lense, they are inside your eye and there really isn't any treatment for them. 

As to the vision not being what it used to, he simply stated, you're not getting old, but your eyes are. Lasik can help the vision, but not the floaters.


----------



## crokseti (Jan 25, 2011)

20 sum yrs ago I got something in my eye at work so I went to the company m.d.
 He put drops in and proceeded to pick at the object with a needle like you would a splinter and then says it looks like rust from a previous piece.
 Thats what I figured these floaty things are, scare - scratches from all the various crap I've gotten in my eyes.


----------



## rjcruiser (Jan 25, 2011)

crokseti said:


> 20 sum yrs ago I got something in my eye at work so I went to the company m.d.
> He put drops in and proceeded to pick at the object with a needle like you would a splinter and then says it looks like rust from a previous piece.
> Thats what I figured these floaty things are, scare - scratches from all the various crap I've gotten in my eyes.



Couple of years ago, had this happen to me.  Didn't know I had anything in the eye until it started to rust a couple of days later.

Had it flicked/picked out, but the doc was afraid of the rust.  So...sent me to an eye surgeon who "buffed" out the rust.  Basically was a dremel tool for the eye.  Was very very uncomfortable to say the least.  Now, I wear safety glasses every time.  I like being able to see my wife & kids.


----------



## jason4445 (Jan 25, 2011)

Floaters are always generated by the retina in the back of the eye.  It is a extremely vascular organ that takes the light entering the eye and converting that into nerve impulses that the brain interpets as vision.  

The floaters are a symptom of poor blood circulation - so are "flashes" where you see a quick little burst of light in your side vision when you quickly move your eyes from extreme glances to the right or left.  Many of the capillaries in your retina are barely one red blood cell's width in diameter and if normal many cells carrying oxygen can get through one after the other.  If that capillary is reduced in diameter then cells do not get through as the tissue needs so eventually the tiny bit of tissue dies and when light hits that area it is interpreted by the brain as a floater or burst of light.

Being symptom what your body is telling you is that you need to take steps to avoid that causes of poor blood circulation.  Of course some of the most common causes are drinking, smoking, overweight, eating fatty stuff, salt intake, little exercise, those types of things.  Also sugar problems which are also mostly caused by the above causes poor blood circulation which is why so many diabetics end up with vision problems.  The ringing in the ears is the same thing a lot of the times.

There are others signs of poor circulation relating to the feet and hands including the nails such as spooned nails, splitting nails, yellow and flaking nails and scaly skin on the feet as well as wounds on the feet and lower legs that have trouble healing.

All of these things are signs. So if you have these symptoms then you need to make lifestyle changes to keep them from getting worse.


----------



## TAS (Jan 26, 2011)

Floaters are caused by defects in the Vitreous gel..a substance that fills your eye.  When light hits these defects it casts a shadow on the Retina which you then "see" as a Floater.  Most occur naturally and are not dangerous.  Sometimes changes in this gel can cause damage to the Retina.  Also, problems within the retina itself can impact this gel.  All new floaters should be examined with a dilated eye exam to be sure they are not dangerous.  Flashes of light are caused by traction on the Retina and should alsways be examined by dilated eye exam ASAP.  There is no good surgical intervention to remove floaters.  It is just important to know what is causing them.  Never take them lightly, they can be sight and sometimes life threatening.


----------



## blakely (Jan 26, 2011)

Be careful, I started having colorful flashing floaters that moved across my field of vision one day at school. I asked the school nurse about it and she told me to call an eye doctor right then. I did call, then wound up leaving school to have emergency laser surgery on my eye for a detached retina. I did manage to make it back to school in time to relieve my substitute teacher for the last few minutes of the day.


----------

