Floaters

[ASilverLight]

I've had eye floaters since I was a little kid, but they're not severe and I usually don't notice them much unless I'm really tired, I've cried or pressed on my eyes lightly. I've never worried about them as mine are really really mild and aren't always present - they're worse when I've been made aware of their existence.

 

[Gabriel]

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.

Where did you read that?

Because we definitely do it in France. I even know doctors and could give names. There is a French forum where people, just like on Tinnitus Talk, went for it. I saw no one complaining about side effects. Most people were really happy and one said the floaters didn't change much (but still changed for the better).

 

[Kotve]

I read it somewhere (googled in french) and I read in a page that it is not taken by insurance because of the risk bound to it (if done because of floaters)

 

[Sevv]

Not really...

Did your setback in late 2019 affect your VS?
Did you get VS when you were under high stress?

Just wondering. I had a setback with tinnitus and am wondering if it might affect my (mild) VS. Emotionally I'm doing ok.

 

[KyleM]

I had gotten black Floaters that I notice more frequently ever since I got tinnitus. I have no doubt they are linked.

 

[TheDanishGirl]

There is a petition going now, to find a cure for floaters. Please help us floaters sufferers and sign it!

https://www.change.org/p/safer-cure-for-degenerative-vitreous-floaters

 

[all to gain]

There is a petition going now, to find a cure for floaters. Please help us floaters sufferers and sign it!

https://www.change.org/p/safer-cure-for-degenerative-vitreous-floaters

Done!

 

[ajc]

There is a petition going now, to find a cure for floaters. Please help us floaters sufferers and sign it!

https://www.change.org/p/safer-cure-for-degenerative-vitreous-floaters

160 signatures. It's doing very poorly. I guess it's a non issue to most like tinnitus is too.

 

[TheDanishGirl]

160 signatures. It's doing very poorly. I guess it's a non issue to most like tinnitus is too.

Yeah, it awful how little attention this gets Even tinnitus gets a lot more. We after all managed to get 100,000 signatures for the petition into a tinnitus cure.

 

[Julien87]

Done too, thank you for sharing

 

[RishRamsey]

Guys - just bumping up this thread. I have started seeing floaters since yesterday (I binged a couple of TV shows on Saturday - probably spent around 13 hours on my mobile). Woke up yesterday and saw a couple of huge dark floaters moving all around.

What do you think has caused this? Any advice for me? I was thinking of giving my eyes rest from screens and everything, but today's Monday and need to do office work on my laptop for the whole week. Any advice please?

 

[TheDanishGirl]

Guys - just bumping up this thread. I have started seeing floaters since yesterday (I binged a couple of TV shows on Saturday - probably spent around 13 hours on my mobile). Woke up yesterday and saw a couple of huge dark floaters moving all around.

What do you think has caused this? Any advice for me? I was thinking of giving my eyes rest from screens and everything, but today's Monday and need to do office work on my laptop for the whole week. Any advice please?

There is not an awful lot you really can do. Go get your eyes checked, just to rule out anything serious that could lead to blindness, but it probably is "just" floaters Maybe try putting on sunglasses and see if that helps a bit.

 

[RishRamsey]

Not really...

@dpdx - Not really as in they haven't improved, or not really as in they are not bothering you?

 

[RishRamsey]

There is not an awful lot you really can do. Go get your eyes checked, just to rule out anything serious that could lead to blindness, but it probably is "just" floaters Maybe try putting on sunglasses and see if that helps a bit.

I went to my eye doc yesterday, after convincing him it's an emergency and that I have been visiting you for the past 15 years for myopia. The stupid doc agreed to see me, but only looked into my eyes with a torch and said you are okay, but we need to do a full check up using dilation but only when this lockdown is over.
What the heck, if it's a retinal tear it's not going to wait, that's why I asked you to see me yesterday and you took my money and did no tests and asked to come 1st thing when the lockdown is over. Seriously?

Should I wait for this lockdown to get over or try to find another doc that will test me?

 

[Laurie1961]

Discovered by accident that dabbing a wet facecloth with rubbing alcohol on it around bags under eyes, brows, nose, sinuses- holding in place until warm, gets rid of floaters and temporarily clears up blurred vision. In past, I've also noticed seaweed paper chips (like for sushi) that are high in iodine, used like teabags on sore eyes, has a similar effect. The result is only temporary, unfortunately. I kept treating for about a week each day but my skin was too dried out to continue. I noticed it took less time to work, a few eyebrows and lashes grew back and sinus stuffiness went away. My eyesight would blur progressively by evening and be bad by morning- a little better overall each day. As soon as I stopped eyes blurred again- and noticed floaters again a few days ago- its been 2-3 weeks since I treated them at all.

On mastoids and temporal lobe and around ear, same treatment seemed to help with tinnitus and blockage below ears. It also gave visible improvement to Bell's Palsy (abnormal grimmace on one side of face) to treat from ear area along the nerve to nasal crease the same way. This too came back after not treating daily but not nearly as pronounced.

Watching my Bell's palsy let up and eyes sort of moving back into place and skin tighten around them, how certain some into glamour use a botchalism bacteria to puff up lips and paralyze nerves while doing maybe the opposite, using alcohol, I witnessed the opposite.

 

[Fanny1]

I went to my eye doc yesterday, after convincing him it's an emergency and that I have been visiting you for the past 15 years for myopia. The stupid doc agreed to see me, but only looked into my eyes with a torch and said you are okay, but we need to do a full check up using dilation but only when this lockdown is over.
What the heck, if it's a retinal tear it's not going to wait, that's why I asked you to see me yesterday and you took my money and did no tests and asked to come 1st thing when the lockdown is over. Seriously?

Should I wait for this lockdown to get over or try to find another doc that will test me?

Oh my, that's awful... find someone that will properly look at your retina.

 

[RishRamsey]

Just found out it is only 3200 euros per one eye at Stalman's in Belgium, which is the place that was recommended to me.

I am so happy it is much cheaper then I thought (I was earlier told 5500 euros). Now I can have it done in a few years and I won't have to wait 10 years.

But just to make things clear (no pun intended ) Floaters CAN come back after surgery for some unlucky few, so I just have to hope I am not one of those people. Also, a 100% floaters removal is not guaranteed. Sometimes it only removes 70-90% of them.

Hey - Can you confirm if this is still true? I've heard on FloaterTalk that the surgery usually costs an upward of 10K dollars for most experienced surgeons? Is this 3200 euros due to the insurance or simple cash?

 

[TheDanishGirl]

Hey - Can you confirm if this is still true? I've heard on FloaterTalk that the surgery usually costs an upward of 10K dollars for most experienced surgeons? Is this 3200 euros due to the insurance or simple cash?

Well, I don't know exactly how to confirm, but no it does not cost near 10K to have it done. I spoke to a guy who had a successful FOV in Belgium I think, by a very experienced surgeon, and he said it cost about 3200 Euros, without insurance. Per eye that is.

I will personally now advise against getting the surgery if you can even manage the floaters in the slightest way. The risks are vast I've found out, and cataract is almost a 100% certainty. It might not develop for years after the surgery, but it will happen, and then what? Then one has to get cataract surgery which is likely to result in more floaters + FOV very seldom gets rid of all floaters.

It sucks but there really isn't a good option for getting rid of floaters.

 

[RishRamsey]

Well, I don't know exactly how to confirm, but no it does not cost near 10K to have it done. I spoke to a guy who had a successful FOV in Belgium I think, by a very experienced surgeon, and he said it cost about 3200 Euros, without insurance. Per eye that is.

I will personally now advise against getting the surgery if you can even manage the floaters in the slightest way. The risks are vast I've found out, and cataract is almost a 100% certainty. It might not develop for years after the surgery, but it will happen, and then what? Then one has to get cataract surgery which is likely to result in more floaters + FOV very seldom gets rid of all floaters.

It sucks but there really isn't a good option for getting rid of floaters.

Really? I mean I haven't done good research on the topic yet, but based on what I've read on FloaterTalk is that people do actually have good success with FOV. And cataract surgeries are easy they say?

Also, if the doc removes close to 100% of your vitreous, is there really a chance for more floaters to develop afterwards?

Sorry if my understanding is not correct. Haven't really done extensive research about it.

 

[TheDanishGirl]

Really? I mean I haven't done good research on the topic yet, but based on what I've read on FloaterTalk is that people do actually have good success with FOV. And cataract surgeries are easy they say?

Also, if the doc removes close to 100% of your vitreous, is there really a chance for more floaters to develop afterwards?

Sorry if my understanding is not correct. Haven't really done extensive research about it.

Unlike you I have read of quite a few people who had FOV, and didn't have a good result. Cataract surgery is fairly easy but like all other surgery it comes with risks and floaters are one of them.

The vitreous is never removed 100% in FOV. A little is always left behind, and that means that some floaters can be left behind.

And yes, floaters can develop after FOV. I read reports of a few people who had floaters re-appear not too long after FOV.

 

[Regal]

Hi there,

At the onset of my tinnitus in January 2019, I got PVD in my both eyes with really annoying floaters and low to moderate visual snow. Nothing to clear it out except surgeon (so live with it ...)... 1 year later, the floaters are less annoying (could be a day without thinking about it), they are are not anymore black but more white. All of you have my sympathy.

 

[dpdx]

@dpdx - Not really as in they haven't improved, or not really as in they are not bothering you?

No improvement.

 

[Walid5]

Guys, I'm 22 years old, I had my acoustic trauma in June 2019 and developed tinnitus since that day. Before that, floaters never bothered me and I can't even remember clearly seeing them when I was a kid. In October/November I started seeing them when it's a sunny day, but they were not bothersome and I forget about them when I return inside. March 2020, nothing changed, until one day, I went out on a sunny day and I started seeing them more clearly. Since that day, they became hudge, I can see them everywhere, it's a nightmare when I go out, some of them become bright and flashy, some of them seems huge cause they're really close to the retina. Went to an optometrist and an ophtalmologist, nothing to declare in my eyes. I thought after that I just had more vitreous floaters than average.

Despite floaters, I started seeing mild visual phenomena like after images and higher sensitivity to light. The snow is only present at night but I don't think it's a new thing and it doesn't affect my vision. So my researches began, trying to know if my tinnitus is somehow responsible of this visual phenomena, the results left no doubt, THERE ARE SO MANY CASES OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING BOTH TINNITUS AND VISUAL PHENOMENA. Generally, people started seeing them months after getting tinnitus, the link is obvious and this huge number of similar stories CAN'T BE A COINCIDENCE. I think that all of this symptoms are linked : Tinnitus, VSS, visual disturbances like floaters. The theory of tinnitus changing something in the brain that was filtering these visual phenomena seems logical. Even people who got floaters before tinnitus, probably the same neurological problem is happening. Visual snow syndrome research showed regions in the brain not functionning in a normal way for Visual snow patients (knowing that tinnitus is one of the common symptoms of this syndrome). All of this are linked, we just need to fund the right people to find the answer, and maybe, I hope, a cure. Visual Snow Initiative is doing really great job in terms of awareness and research, but they need so much funding to accelerate things.

 

[marko1103]

My original answer to the poll was "no". However, like 1 month after I answered no to this poll I started to notice eye floaters.
This was a few months after onset of tinnitus.
They are mostly clear so I can see them mostly while looking at sky. However there are those, like "flies", they are tiny dark dots which move fast in my vision. I am always not sure whether it's a fly or a floater.

I think also in last 2-3 weeks I realized that while looking at the sky and I concentrate on one spot I start to see flashes of light which moves. I think it's called "Blue field entropic phenomenon".
Rarely in my vision I can see flashes of bright dots also when in home but that's rarely and I think it's related to floaters.

I also think I have this mild image flickering which I maybe see when it's dark or the light in the room is low. Not sure, maybe I imagine that hard to explain...

However one is for sure that all this stuff for me started after tinnitus onset.
Recently maybe got worse. When the lockdown started I stopped running, am driking beer or two daily for last 2-3 months, having a huge stress working at home + babysitting and not taking care of the diet and my water intake is like non existent.

I am sure all the things above are nothing serious but still would like to have crystal clear vision I used to have 1 year ago.
I am pretty much suprised by the ammount of weird stuff which can happen' to people. Before joining to this forum I didn't knew any of this exists

 

[Flyingsheep]

Since there are several of us here who also have eye floaters to some degree, I thought I'd share this new article I found linked on Reddit about a project funded by the German government that aims to develop a much better and safer laser treatment for eye floaters, especially ones that are close to the retina. It seems like really promising news for many of us and overall just really encouraging that there is active research out there that is getting us closer to having a proper treatment for this condition!

Full article:
https://nachrichten.idw-online.de/2...or-safer-laser-treatment-of-floaters-started/

 

[Don Tinny]

Hi! I have had mild / moderate floaters since twenties. But they got super worse some weeks ago. Based on my experience they will not "fade".

I was coping decently with my severe tinnitus (still bothered but not suicidal) but this is a new challenge. I just want to be normal.

I know the best way to remove all the trash inside the eye is a vitrectomy, but it seems really risky.

Any opinions?

What about laser vitreolysis? It looks a little safer but I can´t find prestigious clinics doing that invervention in Argentina. I found an Eye Clinic but it´s not very renowned.

Any information is welcome.

Thanks.

 

[scotty03874]

Hi! I have had mild / moderate floaters since twenties. But they got super worse some weeks ago. Based on my experience they will not "fade".

I was coping decently with my severe tinnitus (still bothered but not suicidal) but this is a new challenge. I just want to be normal.

I know the best way to remove all the trash inside the eye is a vitrectomy, but it seems really risky.

Any opinions?

What about laser vitreolysis? It looks a little safer but I can´t find prestigious clinics doing that invervention in Argentina. I found an Eye Clinic but it´s not very renowned.

Any information is welcome.

Thanks.

I had two (FOV) floater only vitrectomy's done in 2014 (left and right eye). Changed my life for the better but now I have tinnitus from a slap to the ear and it has impacted my quality of life again. FULL CIRCLE FML...

 

[Don Tinny]

I had two (FOV) floater only vitrectomy's done in 2014 (left and right eye). Changed my life for the better but now I have tinnitus from a slap to the ear and it has impacted my quality of life again. FULL CIRCLE FML...

Thanks for answering. What about side effects after the intervention and recovery time?

 

[scotty03874]

Thanks for answering. What about side effects after the intervention and recovery time?

Zero side effects. No regrets...

 

[TheDanishGirl]

I had two (FOV) floater only vitrectomy's done in 2014 (left and right eye). Changed my life for the better but now I have tinnitus from a slap to the ear and it has impacted my quality of life again. FULL CIRCLE FML...

I think you are one of the few. I hear a lot of horror stories about it and hardly any success stories (besides yours) Plus the vast majority of doctors won't perform a FOV for floaters on a younger person (under 40 at least).