Floaters

Same as me. There’s some maladaptive function from the tinnitus that can cause this, no doubt in my mind.

 

Just something countless people have reported, try a google search. The way you notice T must be the same way you notice floaters. Whatever the reason.

 

I have had floaters since 17 years old and tinnitus since 26 years old.

For me there is no link between them. Having tinnitus doesn't make floaters appears. I see floaters when I look up the sky or a white computer. Always have. That's about it.

Tinnitus is not the same at all. I never noticed tinnitus in complete dead silence until I really acquired it. Now the sound is everywhere and always there.

 

Not true at all. Many people have reported seeing floaters only after getting tinnitus.

 

I could agree that some tinnitus people are more OCD and notice floaters more or are bothered by them more.

 

Or maybe they noticed floaters because they saw people talking about it on a forum like Tinnitus Talk for example?

I mean floaters are there or aren't. They don't appears after tinnitus.
You noticed them afterwards, maybe, but they were always there.

Before going on Tinnitus Talk I barely noticed them, as I saw them just on white screen or looking up at the sky.

And after reading stuff about floaters I could not unsee them, I was seeing them almost all the time.
Took me 2-3 months to forget about it again.
I know they are still there and that I can see them if I want, but unlike tinnitus I can forget them. They didn't become invisible.

 

I don't buy that. The reports I have read are not just from people on Tinnitus Talk. Most of them aren't actually.

I wish I could unsee mine, but my mind have latched on with a tight grip and they seem to be getting worse (more of them)

One of the differences for me from years back when I was not bothered by them for a longer period, is that I've now found out they are treatments for this. Yes, they are risky and a good result is not guaranteed, but there are possible treatments and I can't stop thinking about them and if I could have a much better life quality if I had the surgery/laser or if it would make it worse.

I remember talking to a guy on here who had a vitrectomy to remove his floaters and it was very successful and he had totally clear vision after that, and I can't stop thinking if that could happen to me, and then I would have a much better quality of life as opposed to spending my days in my bedroom with the curtains down (which is my life now) because I can't deal with seeing them float everywhere and drive me crazy and give me facial/eye tension and headache.

 

So why don't you go for laser?

Vitrectomy is not recommended in France because it's quite invasive, but on the other hand laser is very recommended with very good results.

The laser basically fry the floaters and turn them into gas, which then simply dissolve and disappear (the gas) and you can treat your eyes several times with the laser until the results are satisfying. They can also push the floaters away from the center of your vision.
And there is almost zero side effects.
Also it's not that expensive here even without being reimbursed.

If it's a matter of money, maybe you can ask for some? Or earn it and in a month you should have already enough for the treatment if it's like 100 euros, more or less like in France.

 

Sadly not true at all:

"With YAG vitreolysis, there is a risk of glaucoma, retinal tear, retinal detachment, cataract if you hit the lens, and retinal damage if you hit the retina, said Dr. Chirag Shah" Source: https://www.aao.org/eyenet/article/to-treat-or-not-to-treat-vitreous-floaters

+ It's expensive in my country (2000 euro per eye and I have it in both). But it's not so much the money as the potential horrible side effects to it that keeps me away.....at least for now.

 

If you hit the lens and if you hit the retina. I don't know what is the chance of that to happen, probably depends of the doctor, but I really doubt it happens a lot.
You even probably have more chance of dying from an appendix surgery. And the risks are the same with laser for near sightedness or even greater but everyone still go for it because it's really safe.

If this is what is holding you, I would go for it. But I am not in your shoes

But if I had to take the same risk to be cured from tinnitus, I would definitely take it.

 

I had gone to the same consultant group - different location and had vision testing and then laser retina surgery (successful) mentioned in @TheDanishGirl link. This article has some informative information, as it touches on some important subject matter. Since I had tinnitus, I was then advised to go a neuro ophthalmology hospital. I had a two hour pre session and then an eight hour session with a large team of neuro specialists/doctors and neuro ophthalmology doctors. My thoughts from discussions with these care givers and from a 100 research articles is too much to discuss here in full.

SOME POINTS: They may be confusing and limited in though and not in condition(s) order.

First - My floaters are coming back - with eye pain and headaches, but eye pressure is normal.
The hospital neuro team required complete highly specialized head and eye scans before visit.

Radiologist notes.
Ventricles and extra-axial caf spaces are diffusely enlarged secondary to parenchymal volume loss. Mild hypodensity in the periventricular and subcortical white matter is present, most likely related to chronic microvascular ischemic changes.

This highly specialized radiologist (one of two within the USA) said these changes would have association to severe tinnitus, floaters and stress component influence. He said this is common - regardless what came first - tinnitus or floaters and other eye vision issues that may also involve retina or optic nerves.

All specialists that I saw, the neuro's, neuro's ophthalmology doctors and specialized radiologist discussed the following:

Reasons why some who first get floaters and then tinnitus later:
My first onset of tinnitus was caused from ear syringing, but I did not have pre floaters and did not receive floaters until after second onset due to hyperextension neck injury that later caused microvascular change. Some who get floaters before tinnitus do have myopia, but heredity is also possible and that can increase chance of developing tinnitus.

I was told that even though syringing caused first onset of tinnitus, that certain criteria that includes heredity is of question. Also either pre hypertension or sudden and brief hypertension moments (possible hypertension crisis) probably had taken place before first onset of tinnitus.

When my floaters appeared after second onset of tinnitus, I had just experienced a hypertension moment - rise in blood pressure and I tested. My blood pressure otherwise is always normal. Was told from all specialists that those who have a history of floaters and tinnitus - and it does not matter which came first, a hypertension moment can associate with possible cause.

A short list:
Many highly professional articles agree that brief hypertension moments or crisis, pre hypertension or pulmonary arterial hypertension can associate to eye problems and floaters.

A short list of other concerns:
Vein/artery/neck problems, A fib, optic neuritis, caf, and pulse type tinnitus.

Look at the poll numbers above. 80% have floaters and I assume that most also have tinnitus and that not all are over 50-60 years of age.

 

I'm sadly a victim of Lasik surgery, but before that I had floaters, and after Lasik it got progressively worse.

The vitrectomy didn't mention corneal neuralgia as a risk, only because CN is really new, but it is a risk for the surgery, and as a sufferer from CN because of Lasik I strongly recommend to anyone who wants to have the surgery to only do it if your floaters are so bad that they are affecting your eye sight deeply, really deeply.

With that said, there will be better options for floaters in the future, they're already working on it.

#Floaters&TinnitusComboFromHell

 

Who? I see no serious research being done about this.

 

Little question, isn't this supposed to be paid by the insurance? I mean in Belgium, this affects your sight so the insurance would take over. If this hinders your vision why would you have to pay for it?

Btw I have had floaters since small and tinnitus since 2013... but never bothered me (until now). Whenever I speak about it OCD kicks in for me.

 

It doesn't hinder my vision though, but even if it did, it is not covered by our national health care system here. You have to have a private health insurance to get reimbursed about 33% of the cost, but private health insurance companies generally don't accept people who have a chronic illness/condition ill before signing up... I tried signing up and was rejected... makes little sense, I know.

 

It makes a lot of sense to be rejected. People with pre-existing conditions pose a higher financial risk for insurance companies.

 

Well, in that regard it makes sense sure, but it's kinda unfair, because I've been ill since my teenage years, so, I've never really had the opportunity to sign up.......well my mother could have signed me up, when I was a child......but she didnt.

Oh well... life is unfair.

 

I just read that in France they don't do anything because they judge it to risky and I presume it might be the same in Belgium - could not find any further info.

For me the floaters seem to move around, sometimes I do see them on the screen and sometimes I don't see them at all. But whenever I come on this topic I do see them more - that must be a sign

 

I see mine almost anywhere. They are so dense in numbers, that I can't really overlook them, plus some of them are fairly large... sometimes of course I'll forget them for a little while if I'm really invested in something, but they are always in the back of my mind, and many times they are forefront.

 

I have annoying floaters, some are visible smack in the center of my vision even in very dim lighting. Thank god for Dark Mode browser and app extensions.

My eye doctor gave me low-dose dilating drops for occasional casual use, which reduces my floater's visibility a lot by letting more light in the eyeball.

I use the drops only for "special occasions" when I know I'll be subjected to stuff like bright sunlight for long periods of time. Having an easy non-surgical "solution" in my back pocket, albeit temporary, helped me cope with it mentally even if I don't use the drops.

 

Wait... you use dilating drops for use in bright sunlight? Your eyes have an iris for a reason...

 

He said he uses a LOW dose, which only dilates the pupil a very tiny bit. Much lower than what you get for an eye examination. It's called Atropine and lower doses are also used in myopic children to slow down the progression. In low dose it is generally very safe... only a few minor side effects if any at all.

 

It just seemed counter intuitive... has anyone called any YAG laser doctors to get information yet?

On the one hand... someone is trying to keep things “dark” not to notice the floaters... but then wants to let more light in to reduce their visibility?

And atropine is used in near-sighted kids to slow the progression of what? Floaters or myopia?

 

It's a hell of a lot wiser to try Atropine before going for YAG. YAG is waaaay more risky.

Atropine in low dose is used to slow down progression of myopia.

 

Please show me this study that Atropine slows myopia? That sounds like a silly way to get out of thick glasses...

Two separate things... YAG for floaters... you said Atropine for near sightedness.

 

Atropine can also be used in low dose as a way to manage floaters:
https://www.healio.com/ophthalmology/retina-vitreous/news/print/ocular-surgery-news/{d807f13d-1238-4fd6-a455-3134465db04e}/are-there-alternatives-for-treating-floaters

Articles about Atropine for myopic children:
https://www.aao.org/eyenet/article/how-to-use-low-dose-atropine-to-slow-myopic-progre
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5347209/

 

@TheDanishGirl wow interesting, thanks.

 

Totally makes sense. Same thing happens if you have dust on your camera sensor. For photography people out there, if you have dust on a sensor and use a small aperture like f/22, you're going to see a dark spec for sure, but if you change the aperture to f/1.4 or even f4 it goes away. Dilating a pupil increases the size of the circle of confusion.

 

@dpdx Have your eye floaters improved? Are they still bothering you?

 

Not really...