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Eye Spy…Floaters! When to Hit the ER

May 04, 2024

Conditions Associated with Floaters

Floaters are linked to a multitude of disorders, typically as symptoms of the following: eye diseases, eye injury, crystal-like deposits that form in the vitreous humor, and rarely, eye tumors. Serious disorders include retinal tears, retinal detachment, vitreous and retinal inflammation caused by viral infections, bleeding in the eye, fungal infections or autoimmune inflammation. Migraine sufferers often experience eye floaters with a visual aura that has more kaleidoscope-like qualities than floaters.

Inflammatory diseases of the eye that could generate floaters are tuberculosis, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, acute retinal necrosis of the eye, sarcoidosis and the extremely rare incidence of tumors in the eye from lymphoma and leukemia.

See Your Doctor If…

If there is a sudden increase in the number of floaters in your eyesight, flashes of light or loss of peripheral vision as well, see your health care provider right away. Choose an ophthalmologist with retinal expertise. Without immediate treatment, there may be a permanent loss of sight. These signs may be indicative of retinal tear, retinal detachment or bleeding within the eye. 

A torn retina can be caused by a flagging vitreous humor tugging on the retina with enough force to tear it. Without treatment, a torn retina could lead to retinal detachment and possible loss of vision.

One study found that one out of seven who experiences a sudden appearance of floaters and light flashes may have retina tears. It was further found that 50 percent of those with tears will progress to detached retinas.

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