Most eye floaters don't need treatment. Floaters often come and go, and floaters from normal aging that don't bother you can simply be left alone. When floaters make it hard to see clearly and interfere with daily life, your eye doctor might suggest a vitrectomy, surgery that removes most of the vitreous gel and the floaters with it; like any surgery, it has risks. Any new floater needs a dilated exam the same day, or an emergency room visit when we're closed, because it can be a sign of a retinal tear. Our guide to floaters and flashes explains which changes we see the same day.
Key takeaways
- Vitrectomy surgery can remove floaters, but most need no treatment, and doctors may suggest it when floaters make it hard to see clearly and interfere with daily life.
- During vitrectomy, an ophthalmologist removes most of the eye's vitreous gel through very small openings, and like any surgery, it has risks.
- If the vitreous gel has pulled away from the retina without a more serious problem, you'll probably stop noticing floaters as much within a few months.
- Any new floater needs a same-day dilated exam, or an emergency room when the office is closed, and sudden vision loss, even if it returns, means calling 911.
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Do eye floaters need to be treated?
Usually not. Most people have floaters that come and go, and they often don't need treatment. Treatment depends on the cause: floaters from normal aging that don't bother you need nothing, and when another eye condition is causing them, the treatment is aimed at that condition.
New floaters still need a dilated exam the same day, or an emergency room when we're closed, to make sure a retinal tear or bleeding isn't the cause. If you have diabetes, dark floating spots or streaks that look like cobwebs can be bleeding from diabetic retinopathy, which needs treatment right away. The early stages usually cause no symptoms, so people with diabetes need a diabetic eye exam at least once a year.
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Can eye floaters be removed?
Yes, with surgery, which your eye doctor might suggest if floaters make it hard to see clearly and interfere with your daily life.
The surgery is a vitrectomy. The National Eye Institute's guidance on floaters doesn't include laser treatment (YAG laser vitreolysis); if you're considering it, ask a retina specialist about its benefits and risks.
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What is vitrectomy for floaters?
Vitrectomy is surgery in which an ophthalmologist makes very small openings in the wall of the eye and removes most of the vitreous gel with a suction tool, and the floaters with it. The surgeon may put in a bubble of air or gas, or silicone oil; your eye eventually makes new fluid to replace the vitreous, and oil may need a second surgery to remove.
After a vitreous detachment, vitrectomy comes up only if floaters still bother you after a few months. Like any surgery, it has risks, so talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits.
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What happens during and after vitrectomy?
You won't feel pain during the surgery: doctors use numbing eye drops or shots, or general anesthesia to put you to sleep, so ask beforehand which you'll have. If both eyes need surgery, they're done one at a time, with the second eye scheduled after the first has recovered. Most people go home the same day, but you'll need someone to drive you.
After vitrectomy for retinal problems, the National Eye Institute says the eye may be swollen and red for several weeks and people usually take 2 to 4 weeks off work; if a gas bubble is used, you'll need to hold your head in a set position and avoid flying until it's gone.
The same guidance includes wearing an eye patch, usually for about a day, using eye drops to reduce swelling and prevent infections, and avoiding driving, intense exercise and heavy lifting while the eye heals. Ask your doctor when it's safe to drive and exercise again.
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How can you reduce floaters in your eyes naturally?
Giving them time is what usually helps: after a vitreous detachment that hasn't caused a more serious problem, you'll probably stop noticing floaters as much within a few months.
They show up most against something bright and plain, like white paper or a blue sky, so they can seem worse on a sunny day than in softer light.
Drinking more water, pineapple, supplements and eye exercises are often suggested online. None of them appears among the floater treatments the National Eye Institute describes: no treatment for floaters from aging that don't bother you, treatment of any eye condition causing them, and surgery when floaters make it hard to see clearly and interfere with daily life.
Homeopathic eye drops sold for floaters aren't FDA-approved: the FDA says no products labeled as homeopathic are approved, and they haven't been reviewed for safety and effectiveness.
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When do floaters need same-day care?
New floaters need an exam the same day, even if you've had floaters for years. Call us right away for:
- A lot of new floaters that appear suddenly, sometimes with flashes of light
- A dark shadow, like a curtain, or a blurry area in your side or central vision
- A sudden new floater, even a single one
- New floaters after a blow to the eye
These can be signs of a retinal tear or detachment, which can be a medical emergency. During office hours, call 310-828-2010 and we'll see you the same day; when we're closed, go to an emergency room.
If you suddenly lose vision in one or both eyes, even if it comes back, call 911. The same goes for trouble seeing that comes with face drooping, weakness on one side, slurred speech, confusion, loss of balance or a sudden severe headache: those are signs of a stroke.
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What happens when you see us about floaters?
At Cohenmehr Optometry, we start with a dilated retinal exam and retinal imaging in the same visit, looking for retinal tears, changes in the vitreous and bleeding. Most of the time the finding is a posterior vitreous detachment, and the visit ends with reassurance and a follow-up plan.
The drops widen your pupils so the doctor can check for floaters and other problems, and the doctor may press gently on your eyelid to check for retinal tears. The exam is usually painless, though that pressure can feel uncomfortable.
If we suspect a problem with the retina, we refer you promptly to a retina specialist, send your records with the referral, and continue your care afterward. We don't perform surgery; vitrectomy is done by an ophthalmologist. See urgent eye care for what happens when you call.
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Questions patients ask
Is there a way to prevent eye floaters?
Mostly, no. Floaters usually happen because of normal changes in the eye as you get older, and some people are at higher risk: those who are very nearsighted, have diabetes or have had cataract surgery. A vitreous detachment, the gel pulling away from the retina, usually happens after age 50, and its most common symptom is a sudden increase in floaters, which needs an exam the same day, or an emergency room when we're closed.
Can stress cause eye floaters?
Stress isn't on the National Eye Institute's list of floater causes. Floaters usually come from normal changes with age, as tiny strands of the vitreous gel stick together and cast shadows on the retina. Sometimes they have a more serious cause: an eye infection, an injury, inflammation (uveitis), bleeding in the eye, a vitreous detachment, or a retinal tear or detachment. New floaters need a dilated exam the same day, or an emergency room when we're closed, whatever else is going on in your life.
Is it normal to feel anxious about eye floaters?
It's understandable. Start with a dilated exam, the same day if the floaters are new (an emergency room when we're closed), to make sure nothing serious is causing them. After a vitreous detachment, you'll probably stop noticing floaters as much within a few months. If floaters still make it hard to see clearly and interfere with your daily life, tell your eye doctor, since that's when surgery is worth discussing.
What do eye floaters look like?
Floaters are small dark shapes that float across your vision: spots, threads, squiggly lines or even little cobwebs. They move as your eyes move, so when you try to look at one directly, it seems to slide away. What you see are shadows that tiny strands of the vitreous gel cast on the retina, and you'll notice them more against something bright, like white paper or a blue sky.
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Sources
- National Eye Institute: Floaters
- National Eye Institute: Vitreous detachment
- National Eye Institute: Vitrectomy
- National Eye Institute: Diabetic retinopathy
- FDA: Homeopathic products
- American Stroke Association: TIA
- CDC: Signs and symptoms of stroke
Written by
Dr. Kevin Cohenmehr, OD
Medical eye care: glaucoma, diabetic eye exams, macular degeneration and eye infections, plus vision therapy for children. A graduate of UCLA and SUNY College of Optometry.
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