Have you ever noticed little clouds or wavy lines in your range of vision when staring at a blank wall or background? When you stare at a bright surface, like a bright blue sky, you may see these strange forms much more clearly.
If you're not experiencing psychedelic-induced hallucinations, you're probably only noticing floaters in your vision. However, if they start to form or grow quickly, it could be a tricky situation. They might even begin to obstruct your eyesight.
In this blog, I am going to give you a quick tour of the causes of eye floaters, symptoms, and natural treatments for eye floaters.
What Are Eye Floaters?
These are tiny spots forming weird shapes that slowly drift through your field of vision. They frequently resemble minuscule black dots, threads, or cobwebs.
Floaters are not a kind of optical illusion. They are clumps of debris floating suspended in the vitreous (jelly-like fluid inside the eye that gives it shape). When these floaters move, they cast shadows on your retina and you see black spots in your vision.
What Causes Eye Floaters?
The primary cause of these floaters is typically ageing process alterations in the vitreous. The vitreous jelly decreases and begins to move away from the retina as you become old. This causes the gel to clump, and the shadows of these stringy fragments.
The most common cause of ring-shaped floaters is total vitreous detachment from the retina. It temporarily leaves a ring-shaped floater in your field of vision after detaching from the optic nerve.
When your retina detaches, it occasionally happens that the vitreous tears away a little portion of your retina, causing the retinal blood vessels to leak blood. Consult a doctor immediately to get the right treatment on time.
Those who have diabetic retinopathy frequently experience visual floaters. These floaters could be side effects from having cataract surgery or vision problems.
Eye Floaters Treatment at Home
With time, these floaters may disappear, and even if they stay, your brain will gradually learn to disregard them while processing visual data. Here are some methods that can help if you want to lessen the visibility of these floaters.
Stay hydrated
The vitreous may shrink and you may notice floaters if the collagen within it is not sufficiently hydrated or oxygenated.
Therefore, staying hydrated is essential to maintain the moisture of your ocular cells and the hydration of your eyes. Additionally, pollutants can cause eye floaters, and the best approach to get rid of toxins from your body is by drinking water.
An anti-inflammatory food
The next step in a natural remedy for eye floaters is to be mindful of your diet. Anti-inflammatory foods don't specifically help with floaters, but they do benefit your eyes in general.
You could incorporate the following foods into your diet:
- Organic berries like strawberries, blueberries, and cherries
- Green leafy veggies like kale and spinach
- Omega-3 fatty acid-rich fish like salmon and tuna
- Citrus fruits
- Olive oil extra virgin or coconut oil
- Tomatoes
- Nuts and whole grains
Observe Eye Safety
Eye floaters are primarily caused by eye injury. The use of eye protection could prevent them.
When doing sports where injury risk is higher or when exposed to hazardous chemicals, wear safety eyewear. Your vision could be affected by flying debris or chemical fumes entering your eyes. Your eyeglasses will shield your eyes from these possible threats.
Rest and Unwind.
Your eyes will feel tired and the presence of floaters will be more noticeable when your body is not receiving enough sleep. Make sure you get enough sleep to prevent tired eyes.
If the floaters irritate the eyes, apply a warm or cold compress to the eyes to relax the ocular muscles.
Avoid Bright Lighting
Consider investing in a pair of blue light-blocking glasses if your day involves spending a lot of time on devices. Long periods of screen time might strain your eyes, which will make the floaters even more annoying.
These floaters can be more obvious in bright lights like screen lights. If the inside lighting is too bright, be careful to dim it. Use UV-protected sunglasses when you're outside to reduce the brightness of the sun.
Get An EyeTest
Most individuals avoid an eye exam until something goes wrong with their vision. However, routine eye exams might find emerging eye diseases in their earliest stages.
A thorough eye exam can identify this issue and stop it from worsening before you even begin to notice floaters in your vision
Although eye floaters can be bothersome, they typically go away on their own. Make sure to have your eyes examined if they don't. Your doctor will determine whether you require medication or natural treatment for eye floaters based on the severity of your symptoms.