DEFINITION
[Latin: "flying flies"]
Floaters (muscae volitantes), are characterized by shadow-like shapes such as blurry spots, threads, fragments of cobwebs, strands, or little flies, appearing singly or together, that seems to float slowly in front of the eyes but does not block vision.
CAUSE
Vitreous syneresis
(most common cause) The floater or blur occurs due to the scattering of debris from the vitreous of the eye leading to a shadow on the retina. The spot is the image formed by a deposit of protein drifting about in the vitreous, the clear jelly-like substance that fills the middle of the eye. Due to depolymerisation of the substance responsible for retaining water, the released water liquefies the gel/vitreous, thereby breaking down the collagen into strands leading to floaters.
Posterior vitreous detachments and retinal detachments
This is the result of shrinking of framework of the liquefied vitreous body, due to which the vitreous body release from the retina leading to posterior vitreous detachment. During this detachment, this vitreous mechanically stimulates the retina, causing the patient to see random flashes, referred to as "flashers." It makes a large floater appear, in the shape of a ring. As a complication, part of the retina might be torn off by the departing vitreous body, in a process known as retinal detachment. This often leaks blood into the vitreous, appearing as numerous small dots, moving across the whole field of vision.
Regression of the hyaloid artery
The hyaloid artery, an artery running through the vitreous humour during the fetal stage of development, regresses in the third trimester of pregnancy. Its disintegration can sometimes leave cell matter.
Other causes
*Active toxoplasmosis
*Cystoids macular oedema
*Asteroid hyaloids - in this, calcium clumps join with the collagen network and integratedly move with the eye movements.
SYMPTOMS
- Seeing numerous small, floating spots
- Seeing bright flashes of light
- A veil-like blockage of a portion of the vision
DIAGNOSIS
Doctors through special instruments
- distinguish between harmless floaters and flashes
- erious retinal problems such as holes, tears or detachment.
TREATMENT
Normally, there is no treatment indicated.
- Vitrectomy - Operations to remove floaters, because at the later stages, they can result in blindness. Gradually, patients get used to them and may no longer notice them.
- Laser vitreolysis - This process includes the treatment of floaters with a YAG laser, which when focussed onto the floater, quickly vaporizes the structure making it less dense and hardly visible. This procedure is time consuming and is found to be having efficiency of 33%.
