Symptomatic Floaters and How They Are Treated

Symptomatic floaters refer to a condition where a person experiences persistent floaters in their vision that interfere with their daily activities. Floaters are tiny specks or cobweb-like shapes that appear to drift across the visual field. They are usually harmless and are caused by small pieces of debris in the vitreous humor, the clear gel-like substance that fills the space between the lens and the retina.

In most cases, floaters are a normal part of aging and do not require treatment. However, in some cases, people may experience symptomatic floaters, which can be quite distressing. Symptoms of symptomatic floaters may include persistent floaters that do not go away, flashes of light, blurred vision, or a loss of peripheral vision.

Symptomatic floaters can occur for several reasons, including trauma to the eye, inflammation of the eye, or retinal detachment. If you experience symptomatic floaters, it is important to seek medical attention from an eye specialist to determine the underlying cause and receive appropriate treatment. Treatment may include monitoring the condition, using medication to reduce inflammation, or in some cases, surgery.

How are floaters diagnosed?
The best and most reliable way to diagnose floaters is via dilated examination. Various imaging techniques, including OCT (optical coherence tomography), B-scan ultrasound, and retinal photography also help in visualizing and diagnosing floaters.

What treatment is available for floaters?
Treatment options vary depending upon patient’s symptoms, complaints, and clinical findings. Not all floaters require treatment if they do not threaten vision or impair a patient’s lifestyle. However, some patients have floaters that require surgical removal.

These patients tend to have issues with floaters impeding vision required for necessary tasks like reading or driving.

When treatment is deemed necessary, a vitrectomy is performed.