Eye floaters?

[luvthemstrawberries]

For about the past week, I've been seeing a small black dot in my left eye's vision. It's not directly in my line of focus - it's kind of down and to the left. If I try to look directly at it, it moves further in that same direction as I just looked. It also has a slight hesitation when doing that before it actually moves. I've mainly noticed when I'm looking forward at a bright computer screen, or something large and relatively the same color. It's harder to notice sometimes when whatever is in my line of sight is a more typical mix of darks and lights.

I feel so silly because earlier this week I was standing at work at the printer, and I thought a gnat was bothering me. I kept swatting at it with paper. Now looking back, it was probably this.

As I sit here reading over what I've written, the dot follows me as I read across the screen. When I jump to the next line, it jumps back too. So weird.

I googled it, and it sounds like a "floater" - anyone know anything about this? Nothing hurts (but I have had a lot of headaches lately - I'm currently investigating the cause of those though - bcp, grinding teeth, sinuses...). This floater thing is really just an annoyance. From what I've read, the floaters are relatively harmless unless there's a lot of them. Says it's a tiny clump of gel or cells inside the eye. But if a lot suddenly appear, it says to see the eye doc immediately. Apparently it's common in near-sighted people. Strange thing is though, I'm near-sighted in my right eye only, and only wear a contact in that eye. My left eye, the one with this strange thing in it, is slightly far-sighted, but not enough to require correction. My last eye appt was current within the last year.

 

[somethingshiny]

Your info is correct. Floaters are generally just an annoyance and often seen in near-sighted people.

But, it can also be a retinal tear or detachment. Because you don''t seem to display the typical near-sighted person getting floaters, I''d see your eye doc.

HERE is some info on retinal tears. If you google it you can get tons of info.

Good luck.

 

[movie zombie]

since this is an apparent change....you didn''t notice floaters before?.....i''d go very quickly to the opthamologist.

i''ve had floaters pretty much all my life so no problem there.

mz

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

No I''ve not really noticed any before. I''m sure every now and then I have, but not a consistent little dot like this that follows my eyesight around. But I know I''ve randomly seen little feathers or something before for just a few moments. Just never ones that stick around like this one has.

 

[Jas12]

I''d say get to the eye doc. My mom noticed a new floater, then some flashing and she had a tear in the retina. She had the surgery that day and her eye is fine now.
Sometimes floaters just occur. I have a bad one and apparently it is a shaddow of a tiny tendon (or something like that) that attatches the eye that snapped off and is hanging. It is harmless and my Dr. said i would just get used to it over time--she was right, it is still there but no longer bugs me.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Thanks guys for the coments/advice so far. It''s weird, because I notice it at the computer at work, but I''m home on my laptop now, and I don''t see it.

Oh wait, there it is. Ha. OK so apparently it pretty much is unnoticeable if I focus off in something else then look back - it''s usually going away unless I''ve been at the computer for a while. Right now it''s hard to notice until I''m looking at the computer for a while.

I guess I do need to get it checked out just to be safe. The thought of eye surgery just gives me the heebie jeebies!!!

 

[Italiahaircolor]

My dad had floaters last year, and similar to the other posters, he had a torn retina. I''d get to an eye doc ASAP...it can only get worse, not better left untreated.

Good luck

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Huh... Thanks Italia - I''ll make an appt next week. I appreciate the input. Do they have to do surgery on a torn retina?

 

[somethingshiny]

In the several years I''ve been in the "eye business", I''ve seen dozens of tears and detachments. If it''s a tear, the treatment is a painless laser procedure (generally) that adheres the retina to the eyeball. It creates scar tissue and usually there is no further damage because of the scar tissue. With a tear, the fluid can get behind the retina which causes a detachment. That''s when it gets REALLY serious. You should make an appt immediately. When you call to schedule, inform them of your "new" floater and the way in which it came on. They should make room for you the day you call. If they don''t, call another doctor. Better to be safe than blind.

If it''s not a tear, it''s just a nuisance. I have many floaters and have since I can remember, I''m very nearsighted . I can "force" them out of my way by looking very hard towards my nose. It shifts the fluid and causes the floaters to be more in my peripheral vision.

Good luck.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Somethingshiny - thank you so much for your response. I think I will make an appointment. Better to be safe - that's how I usually play it anyway. I appreciate your input also as you seem to be a professional.

Here's to hoping it's nothing serious!