Floaters are particles that seem to be in front of the eye but are actually floating in the vitreous humor, which is the transparent gel-like fluid that fills the inside cavity of the eyeball between the lens and the retina.

Floaters appear as different shapes to different people. They can look like small dots, circles, lines, clouds, or cobwebs. Some floaters appear to be strung together with a web-like thread. Floaters are actually shadows cast on the retina, the nerve layer at the back of the eye that senses light and allows you to see. Many people occasionally experience the sensation of spots floating in their field of vision, especially when looking at the sky or at a blank background. These spots usually come and go in very short order; but as you mature, the spots can appear more frequently.

Most floaters are harmless. However, they can also be symptomatic of serious retinal problems such as diabetic retinopathy or macular degeneration. These conditions can lead to a retinal tear or a retinal detachment, both of which are a more serious situation because either can lead to partial or complete loss of vision. Consult your eye doctor if spots or floaters suddenly increase in number or frequency. Also, if the spots appear fixed and do not move around when you move your head or eyes, they may be a sign of macular degeneration and should be checked.

Treatment

Normally, there is no treatment indicated.

• Vitrectomy may be successful in treating more severe cases, however, the procedure is typically not warranted in those with lesser symptoms due to the potential for complications as severe as blindness. Floaters may become less annoying as sufferers grow accustomed to them, even to the extent that they may no longer notice them.

• There is also Sutureless Vitrectomy, as the standard vitrectomy involves cutting through the conjunctiva, or fleshy part of the front of the eye, and making openings in the pars plana area which require stitches at the end of the surgery. In the sutureless technique, small tubes or canulas or trochars are placed through the pars plana area and very tiny instruments are placed through these tubes. Once the surgery is complete, the tubes are removed and no stitches are needed. Only in certain cases can sutureless vitrectomy surgery be performed.

• Another treatment is laser vitreolysis. In this procedure a powerful laser (usually a Yttrium aluminium garnet laser) is focused onto the floater and in a quick burst vaporizes the structure into a less dense and not as noticeable consistency.

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