Floaters before the eyes, which a person sees in the form of floating opacities - butterflies, rings, lightning, threads, cobwebs - are a fairly common complaint with which patients come to the ophthalmologist.
However, despite the widespread nature of such complaints, most people get used to floaters , gradually ceasing to pay attention to the clouding that appears.
However, flies cause some inconvenience. They are especially clearly observed when looking at bright objects , for example, snow-white paper or the blue sky.
Floaters can cause some irritation, but in most cases they do not cause damage to vision. In exceptional situations, they can cause significant anxiety in the patient, which requires specific treatment.
A set of exercises to restore vision using the Bates method is available to everyone. It is important to exercise regularly.
In this article you can find out why herpetic keratitis is dangerous and its characteristic symptoms.
Floaters before the eyes, causes
Every person has encountered such manifestations at least once. But why spots appear before your eyes more often is a more serious question. Let us first consider the structure of the eyeball itself. The space between the retina and the lens is filled with a transparent jelly-like substance, this is the vitreous body. It mainly consists of water (98-99%), and only 1% consists of salts, ascorbic and hyaluronic acids, proteins (up to 1.36 ppm, the predominant part is albumin) and many other substances associated with each other. The eyeball is always in a state of swelling. Destruction is a change in the state of the vitreous body; it can manifest itself in wrinkling, liquefaction and detachment. Such changes may be partial or complete. When liquefaction occurs, voids appear in the vitreous body. They are filled with liquid and fiber fragments. Films of varying thickness and density may also appear there. As a result, the volume of the vitreous itself decreases, tension occurs in the vitreoretinal connections, which leads to their rupture, and spots appear before the eyes, the causes of which can be very diverse.
But usually flies flying in the eyes are not at all dangerous, and after a while they disappear on their own. Such changes are most often observed in older people.
What measures need to be taken
The general condition of the vitreous body has a close relationship with current disorders and damage within the body. Therefore, when changing lifestyle, a significant change can be observed. Standard recommendations for eliminating this condition include completely giving up bad habits and making an effort to maintain physical fitness. Today, doctors have not invented an effective medicine that would help eliminate this condition and prevent its recurrence.
There is a procedure called VITREOLYSIS, which is carried out with a laser. In this case, the beam affects the opaque areas of the vitreous body. The goal is to break them down into small fragments that will not interfere with normal vision. But in practice, this procedure is rarely used due to the presence of unwanted side effects and the technical complexity of the process. There is evidence that strictly picosecond lasers have been used to perform therapy since the 80s, but their production has now been suspended.
Another surgical intervention that can treat this disease is VITRECTOMY. During the process, the vitreous body is eliminated partially or entirely, along with which the floaters are removed. A balanced salt solution is placed in place of the removed area. But the procedure is not often used in practice due to its danger and negative side effects - hemorrhages in the eye, cataracts, and complete retinal detachment.
Causes of floaters before the eyes
Today there is no exact answer why exactly these problems arise, but there are a number of reasons responsible for this, namely:
• Blood pressure surges (low or high). This leads to insufficient blood supply to the vessels of the eyeball. • Bleeding inside the eyeball. White spots before the eyes can serve as a signal of a system malfunction. • Osteochondrosis in the cervical spine. There is also a violation here
blood circulation in the vessels of the spine that supply the brain. • Traumatic brain injury. White dots indicate possible injuries or the consequences of a brain injury. • Food poisoning. The nervous system is affected by toxins, which affects the optic nerve. As a result, blurred images and even double images may occur. • Pregnancy. In the later stages, the manifestation of such symptoms indicates the danger of eclampsia. This can negatively affect the health of mother and child. • Penetration of drugs or blood into the vitreous body. In old age, the number of medications taken increases, and their absorption and removal from the body decreases significantly. • Psychological stress. A suspicious person can simply fantasize symptoms and believe in them.
The simplest independent actions
Due to the mutual influence of the quality of the vitreous body and general health, you can begin the treatment process with the most effective measures. For example, you need to switch to a healthy lifestyle. If the pathology has not yet developed to a serious scale, this recommendation will allow you to quickly and efficiently solve the problem. There are several principles that will help preserve your vision and avoid unwanted clouding.
- Compliance with the principles of proper nutrition is the key to rapid recovery and saturation of the body with a complex of vitamins and minerals;
- moderate exercise guarantees increased immunity and strengthened overall tone;
- giving up bad habits involves following the principles of a healthy lifestyle and will help overcome the problem once and for all;
- consultation with a specialist in vision and the state of the nervous system, perhaps the doctor will discover diseases that require immediate treatment;
- the use of drops and tablets strictly as prescribed by the doctor; it is forbidden to prescribe medications yourself and use them;
- Do not rub or scratch your eyes, or frequently touch them with your hands;
- It is necessary to perform the most effective eye exercises on a regular basis; this will be an excellent prevention of an undesirable phenomenon.
If you are attacked by annoying eye floaters, tactics should be reduced to eliminating them and preventing the appearance of new flickers in the eyes.
The simplest independent measures
If floaters have appeared for the first time, perhaps this does not indicate anything serious, but is simply the result of stress. In this situation, each person has the right to use simple independent techniques.
- Sitting on a chair and straightening your back, placing your head straight, direct your gaze in front of you. Then, using sharp movements, turn your eyes left and right. Oscillatory movements from top to bottom are carried out in a similar way. This gymnastics promotes the distribution of fluid throughout the eyeball, after which the floaters disappear on their own.
- If foreign objects get into the eye and this causes spots to appear before the eyes, it is forbidden to rub or touch them with your hands. It is enough to ensure that they are washed with clean water. If severe damage is found, you should consult a doctor.
Thus, midges appearing before the eyes can be caused by several factors. Timely adoption of measures to treat them will help avoid unpleasant complications.
Diseases that may cause flies
When waking up from sleep, most people experience the appearance of floaters in front of their eyes, just like when they are in the dark or fixating their gaze on a piece of paper. Looking at the fire for a long time can also cause such symptoms. But when the optic nerve relaxes, these problems disappear.
There are a number of diseases in which floaters appear quite often. Here are some of them:
• Anemia (anemia). With this disease, there is a reduced content of red blood cells in the blood.
• Vitreous detachment in the posterior region.
• Destruction of the vitreous body (opacity of the fibers of the vitreous body).
• Uveitis – inflammation of the choroid of the eye.
• Retinal tear (violation of the integrity of the retina).
• Ocular migraine – disappearance of the image in some areas of the visual field.
• Hypertension – high blood pressure, in which there is a violation of vascular tone.
• Diabetes mellitus is an endocrine disease in which there is a deficiency of the hormone insulin. If there is insufficient blood flow to the brain, dizziness and general weakness may occur. This is a result of low blood pressure and causes people to experience white floaters. Another inconvenience may occur with a sudden change in altitude. For example, when jumping out of bed.
If white flies appear quite often, you should consult a neurologist and cardiologist. An examination of the brain, as well as the blood circulation in it, will help determine exactly why these symptoms occur and choose the right course of treatment to get rid of floaters forever.
Black spots appearing before the eyes during heavy physical activity indicate hypertension. And if they occur in everyday life, it is necessary to consult a cardiologist, because this indicates disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system and the risk of stroke or myocardial infarction.
Migraine
One of the most common causes of temporary visual impairment. The sensation of sparkling dots, zigzags and sparks often precedes a painful attack, which can last up to three days and gradually fades away. Experts call this type of migraine migraine with aura.
Article on the topic
Will there be a disaster? How to distinguish a migraine from a stroke
How vision is affected: In addition to visual hallucinations, migraines can also cause loss of central vision. Sometimes for quite a long time. Experts consider this a very alarming situation: there are cases where, as a result of a migraine attack caused by vascular spasm, focal damage is found in the brain tissue.
What to do: consult a neurologist and, if necessary, undergo an examination, including an MRI of the brain.
In what cases should you consult a doctor?
If black spots before your eyes begin to appear more often, then an urgent visit to an ophthalmologist is necessary:
• With an increase in the number of flies and with light flashes. • When discomfort occurs, accompanied by certain inconveniences and panic states. • If you are injured. • With regular appearance of flies after the age of 50 years. • With an increase in the number of floaters against the background of existing myopia. Myopia is myopia (distance vision is reduced, the eyeball has an oval shape).
Drug therapy
Modern medicine does not have drugs that can eliminate this problem. There are drugs that stimulate the metabolic process, leading to the resorption of flies. These are Emoxipin drops and Wobenzym. A standard regimen is used: Emoxipin is instilled, 1 drop 3 times a day.
Laser correction - 5 times a day for a month in the affected eye. At the same time, take the drug "Wobenzym" 5 tablets 3 times a day for 14-28 days. An additional measure in this case would be the use of a complex of vitamins for vision.
This method is relevant for damage to the retina. It involves laser beam treatment or freezing of the optic nerve tissue.
Treatment methods
The floaters may go away on their own over time . However, these opacities move to an invisible zone, remaining in the vitreous. They need to be prevented or treated.
- Drug therapy. At the moment there are no medications that are 100% effective. At the same time, some medications can activate metabolic processes that contribute to the resorption of flies.
Among them are Emoxipin 1% drops , as well as the drug Wobenzym . The treatment process is accompanied by the intake of mineral and vitamin complexes.
- Laser correction. This method is used if the retina is damaged. In this case, treatment is carried out by freezing tissue or using a laser beam.
- Surgical method. Today the following methods of removing destruction are used:
- Vitreolysis - VAG neodymium laser is used.
Vitrectomy - the vitreous body is removed and replaced with a saline solution. This procedure is rarely performed, as it can lead to serious consequences. However, the effectiveness of this method is quite high.
Ophthalmology today still does not know how to effectively and safely deal with floaters. Therefore, people should think about preventive measures.
Preventing the appearance of floaters before the eyes
In a healthy body, all organs and systems work harmoniously and without failures. All preventive measures are aimed at improving the general condition of a person. To do this, you must follow the following diet and exercise routine:
• Balanced diet. The diet must contain all the proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and vitamins necessary for the normal functioning of the body. If possible, it is necessary to use separate meals and maintain water balance.
• Permissible physical activity. For every age there are a number of physical exercises that help maintain a cheerful spirit. Even in old age, you can take walks, perform breathing exercises and thereby keep your body in good shape. Static loads have a beneficial effect on all internal human organs. And the condition of the vitreous body of the eye directly depends on the general condition of the human body.
• Quitting smoking and alcohol is another component that ensures the normal functioning of the body.
