Anyone ever have eye "floaters"?

[Shannon's Chix]

I'm 37, and for the past 2 weeks or so I have this little black fleck floating around in my right eye vision. At first I kept thinking it was a gnat and kept swatting at it.

One of my friends told me it's common as you get older, another said to go to the eye doctor. If anyone has had issues with this I would like to know what they do...I am much more scared of the eye doctor then even the dentist!

Thanks for any info!

 

[19hhbelgian]

I'm only 29 and have had floaters since I can remember. I have a bunch and if I concentrate I'll notice them, but they've been there forever so I really don't notice anymore. I go to the eye doc yearly, and he said they are nothing to worry about.

 

[Highlander]

I have them really bad, and all the time. My doctor referred me to the eye specialist as they started to get much worse about a year ago and she was concerned I had a detatched retina which is what the floaters are sometimes the first sign of. He gave me the all clear but said I would probably always have them. I hardly notice them day to day now, the are worst outside in bright sunshine (which is twice a year in Scotland!

)

I would recommend you go to see the eye doctor just to put your mind at rest. The procedure is not scary at all. But most likely it is nothing to worry about. Good luck.

 

[TXmom]

I have a floater in my left eye, but it's not a black dot...have you ever seen a hair under a microscope? It looks kinda like that...

I go to the eye doctor at least once a year because I'm extremely near-sighted...I've told him about the floater but he doesn't seem concerned. I've had a very thorough eye exam done (for other reasons) and I was told my eyes are healthy.

 

[Karrie13]

I have them too, not a big deal. Just more annoying than anything when I do notice them but it seems if I blink a couple times they go away.

Do go to the eyedoctor for your own piece of mind though. It wouldn't hurt.

 

[Camelot Farms]

Ive had them for 10 years. I cant have white walls in my house because then I see them everywhere! lol

Doc told me it was some sort of visceral fluid that breaks down with age. I was 30 at the time and didnt find that funny at all.

 

[herefordlovinglady]

I always say, it is best to get a professional opinion when it comes to stuff like this. you should have your eyes checked.

here is a little bit about floaters, flashes, etc.

http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/spotsfloats.htm

 

[chickeypeep101]

I've had floaters since I was four...

 

[ChikeeMomma]

I've had them for a while, too. Although, I don't feel that they are particularly bad. I think that I notice them more when I have my contacts in.

 

[Brick243]

I've had floaters for most of my life. The more you think about them, the worse they seem. Mine bother me more when I'm outside on cloudy days. I can see mine right now, looking at the light gray background on the screen. My eyes have always been sensitive to light.