Eye Floater Removal in Huntington Beach

Do you have specks or strings that appear periodically within your field of vision? These painless disruptions are called floaters. They sometimes appear as tiny dark spots and other times as squiggly lines like spiderwebs. Because floaters move around within the eye, the brain perceives the movement and includes that piece of information as part of your sight. You are most likely to notice a floater after you have stared at a solid, blank color such as a blue sky or white wall.

The eye doctors at Clarity Eye Group can diagnose floaters by dilating your eyes and examining for specks. Depending on the severity of your floaters, you may be deemed a suitable candidate for treatment.

Potential Causes of Floaters

Floaters become increasingly common as you get older. Risk factors include:

• Diabetic retinopathy
• Age of at least 50 years
• Nearsightedness (myopia)
• Inflammation in the eye
• Prior cataract surgery

Most floaters appear when small air bubbles develop in the vitreous (the clear gel between the lens and retina). This can be brought on by medication use or eye surgery. Microscopic fibers in the vitreous may also cast a shadow on the retina.

Sometimes, floaters are an indication of a more serious eye problem, such as:

• Posterior uveitis: Swelling at the rear of the eye can move debris (floaters) into the vitreous.
• Retinal tear: If the vitreous puts undue force on the retina, it can tear the retina. Treatment is critical since a tear can potentially lead to retinal detachment, with the threat of permanent blindness.
• Internal bleeding: An injury to the eye can let stray blood cells leak into the vitreous, which are then seen as floaters.

Treating Floaters

Not all patients who have floaters require treatment. You may find that your floaters go away without treatment or appear so infrequently that they do not warrant medical attention. However, if your floaters annoy you and substantially impede your vision, you may warrant treatment. In fact, if you suddenly notice an influx of new floaters, blurry vision, or flashes of light accompanying your floaters, you should discuss this with your eye doctor to diagnose a potentially serious ocular condition.

You may be a good candidate for a laser treatment (vitreolysis) to break up the floaters in your eyes so that the specks become tinier and less bothersome.

In more advanced cases, an eye doctor may suggest vitrectomy, which is a surgery that removes the vitreous (along with any floaters in that gel) and then replaces it with a substitute saline fluid that functions in a similar manner. Because this is a serious surgery that elevates a patient’s risk for other eye problems later in life, our ophthalmologists rarely recommend vitrectomy for something as non-threatening as floaters.

Cost of Floater Treatment

The price to treat floaters depends on the treatment that you and your eye doctor agree upon, and whether both eyes are treated. If floaters are causing significant impairment, treatment may be covered by medical insurance. Financing is provided through CareCredit, a leading medical lender.

Schedule an Appointment

To have a leading eye doctor in Huntington & Newport Beach examine your vision and offer a professional opinion on your floaters, please schedule an appointment today by calling 714-842-0651.