So THAT'S what they are: Australian eye expert explains the science behind the little 'floaters' you see after looking at a bright light
- There's more to these 'floaters' than meets the eye, Australian expert says
- Floaters are common and caused when vitreous fibres in the eye clog together
- Dr Daniel Polya said it's important to get new floaters checked by your optician
- Floaters can signpost PVD which can cause retinal detachment if left untreated
If you've ever looked too long at a bright light or clear blue sky, you'll probably have experienced an 'eye floater'.
Eye floaters are the little black smudges or wiggly lines that appear in your vision and seem to slide only just out of view, and while they're extremely common, they're worth keeping an eye on.
Dr Daniel Polya from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, said floaters are caused when vitreous fibres – which make up 80 per cent of the eye – clog together.
If you've ever looked too long at a bright light or clear blue sky, you'll probably have experienced an 'eye floater'
'It's the condensation of the collagen fibres,' he told Daily Mail Australia.
'Large molecules of water clog together and cast shadows on your retina which you perceive as eye floaters.'
These can take the shape of dark blobs or wiggly lines – depending on the way the fibres congregate – and are often seen when looking at a white wall or bright light.
Eye floaters are common and will happen to most people during their lifetime, but Dr Polya said it's important to visit your optician if new floaters appear.
They can take the shape of dark blobs or wiggly lines – depending on the way the fibres congregate – and are often seen when looking at a white wall or bright light
Eye floaters are common and will happen to most people during their lifetime, but Dr Polya said it's important to visit your optician if new floaters appear
'What's really disappointing is when someone will come in and say they had a new floater three weeks ago, and when we examine them we find they've got posterior vitreous detachment,' he said.
Posterior vitreous detachment is when the vitreous separates from the retina and causes a large ring-shaped floater in the eye.
'For those that get PVD, there's a 5 per cent chance it's developing a tear in the retina, and if a tear does occur, there's a 50 per cent chance of retinal detachment,' Dr Polya said.
PVD is more common in those who are short-sighted, but Dr Polya said it will likely happen to 50 per cent of people by the age of 50, and 80 per cent by the age of 80.
The condition is treatable by laser surgery, but Dr Polya stressed the importance of catching it early to avoid further damage.
Posterior vitreous detachment is when the vitreous separates from the retina and causes a large ring-shaped floater in the eye
For most people, floaters are just a part of everyday life and the brain learns to ignore them
PVD is the most common risk of abnormal floaters, but there are other, more sinister, problems they could be signposting.
The first is bleeding in the vitreous cavity at the back of the eye which could indicate problems with blood vessels, and the second is the onset of an inflammatory disease such as Uveitis.
'This is why it's so important to see an optician when a floater first appears,' Dr Polya stressed.
For most people, floaters are just a part of everyday life and the brain learns to ignore them.
'Very rarely patients are persistently bothered by floaters,' Dr Polya said.
'Laser surgery can also be performed to break up big, problematic floaters, but it has risks associated.'
