Do you occasionally notice a brown speck or cobweb-like object floating in and out of your field of vision? These are known as floaters. While people typically develop these harmless objects due to age, sudden or persistent floaters often mean you have an underlying condition that needs treatment. 4i’s Optical in Alpine, TX, offers treatment to help alleviate floaters and improve your eyesight. We are here to tell you more about this condition and how our optometrist can help with them.
What Are Floaters?
Usually, light passes through our cornea, lens, and the vitreous or jelly-like substance that fills the inside our eyes before landing on the retina. However, scattered clumps of collagen fibers can form within the vitreous and cast floaters on your retina. These become more noticeable when looking at light-colored walls or a cloudless sky.
While age is the predominant cause of floaters, you can also experience them due to inflammation in the back of the eye and retinal tears. Occasional floaters often disappear within seconds and do not need treatment. That said, numerous or persistent floaters require immediate attention from our eye doctor. These can indicate significant conditions like diabetic retinopathy or retinal detachment.
How Our Optometrist Can Help
While occasional floaters do not require immediate attention, you should still schedule an eye exam with our eye doctor to monitor your eye health. Floaters can sometimes signal underlying health and vision issues that need addressing. With mild cases of floaters, our eye doctor will likely recommend lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of suffering persistent floaters. We might also schedule a follow-up appointment to monitor your eyes and check for diseases.
Severe cases of floaters often require surgery to correct. Our optometrist can refer you to an eye surgeon to help alleviate your eye condition. Your eye surgeon can repair retinal detachments contributing to your floaters or remove your vitreous to prevent them from occurring. Your eye surgeon can also use a laser to break up floaters and make them less noticeable. We will discuss your treatment options and determine the most appropriate eye care for your visual needs.
Get Quality Eye Care From 4i’s Optical to Preserve Your Eye Health
If you need help managing your floaters or require other optometry services to protect your eye health, consider contacting 4i’s Optical in Alpine, TX. Our optometrist can evaluate your eyes and provide appropriate treatment to help you see clearly and comfortably again. Call us and schedule an appointment today at (432) 837-3699 to keep your eyes healthy and your vision strong.
