Black floaters in the eye (or both eyes) can be a symptom of a dangerous disease, so they should not be ignored.
Eye floaters look like small spots that drift through your field of view. They may stick out when you look at something bright, like white paper or a blue sky. They might irritate you, but they shouldn’t disrupt your sight.
When you visit your ophthalmologist, talk in detail about your condition, the black dots floating in the eye that you notice, and follow the doctor’s further recommendations.
If you have a large black floater, it can cast a small shadow over your vision. But this tends to happen just in specific types of light.
You can discover how to deal with floaters and ignore them. You might see them less as time left. Only rarely do they get bad enough to require treatment.
Symptoms
Black floaters make their name by moving around in your eye. They tend to dart away when you try to focus on them.
They can be found in many different shapes:
- Black or gray dots
- Squiggly lines
- Threadlike hairs, which can be knobby and nearly transparent
- Cobwebs
- Rings
- When you get them, they usually do not go away. But you usually observe them less with time.
What Causes Black Floaters in Eyes?
A lot of floaters are little flecks of a protein called collagen. They’re part of a gel-like substance in the back of your eye called the vitreous.
As you age, the protein fibers that comprise the vitreous shrink down to little shreds that clump together. The shadows they cast on your retina are floaters. If you see a flash, it’s since the vitreous has actually pulled away from the retina. If that occurs, see your optometrist ASAP.
These modifications can occur at any age, however normally take place in between 50 and 75. You’re most likely to have them if you’re nearsighted or have recently had cataract surgery.
It’s rare, however black floaters can likewise arise from:
- Eye disease
- Eye injury
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Crystal-like deposits that form in the vitreous
- Eye tumors
Major eye conditions connected with black floaters include:
- Detached retina
- Torn retina
- Bleeding in your vitreous
- Irritated vitreous or retina caused by infections or an autoimmune condition
- Eye tumors
Something that may resemble a floater is the visual aura that can include a migraine headache. It might look like what you see when you put your eye to a kaleidoscope. It may even move. It’s different from the floaters and flashbulb type “flashes” that include other eye issues.
This normally lasts a couple of minutes and might include the vision in both eyes. But then it totally resolves unless you have another episode.
When to See the Doctor
If you only have a couple of black eye floaters that don’t alter gradually, don’t sweat it.
Go to the doctor ASAP if you discover:
- A sudden increase in the variety of floaters
- A loss of side vision
- Flashes of light
- Modifications that begin rapidly and become worse with time
- Floaters after eye surgery or eye trauma
- Eye pain
Pick a doctor who has experience with retina issues. If you do not get assist immediately, you could lose your sight.
Black Floaters Treatment
Benign ones practically never need medical treatment. However, if there is a doctor’s conclusion that your black floaters found in the eye require treatment, then you should start it immediately.
If they irritate you, try to get them from your field of view. Move your eyes – this moves the fluid around. Look up and down, that generally works much better than side to side.
If you have so many that they obstruct your vision, your optometrist might recommend surgery called a vitrectomy. He’ll remove the vitreous and change it with a salt solution.
You might have complications like:
- Removed retina
- Torn retina
- Cataracts
The risk is low, however if these issues occur, the black floaters can permanently damage your vision.
Q&A
Are black floaters serious?
Not always. In fact, most of the time they are NOT DANGEROUS. These spots can appear and disappear quite painlessly. However, if you have black floaters in your eye and they persist for a long time, you should see an ophthalmologist.
Should I be worried about black floaters?
As I wrote above, you should only worry if you have black floaters and they persist for a long time. This suggests that there may be a serious cause for these black floaters that is worth investigating.
Can dehydration cause black eye floaters?
Yes, it is possible and it is not dangerous. You just need to rid your body of dehydration, and as a result, these spots should disappear on their own.
Can black floaters cause blindness?
Here’s where I need to clarify. The very black floaters you find in your eyes are not triggers for blindness. It is correct to consider them as one of the symptoms of retinal detachment, which in turn can lead to blindness. That is why I pointed out several times in the article that only a visit to a qualified ophthalmologist will help to determine the cause of black floaters and, if necessary, to prescribe treatment for your eyes.
