What is that floating spot in my vision?

If you have ever tried reading a book on a sunny clear day outside you may have seen a small speck float across your vision that is commonly referred to as a “Floater”. 

Floaters are small semi-transparent or cloudy particles that are suspended within the vitreous body of your eye. The vitreous body is the clear, jelly-like fluid that fills the inner portion of the eye.

Generally a few small floaters may be normal and are seen by many individuals at one time or another. These floaters often appear as specks of various shapes and sizes or similar to cobwebs in your vision. These floaters are often more apparent in your vision when in natural lighting and while staring at a constant background; such as when reading a book outside.

There are a few different causes for floaters. They may be small flecks of protein trapped during the formation of the eyes before birth that remain suspended in the clear fluid of the vitreous. Deterioration of the vitreous fluid may also cause floaters to develop. This deterioration is a normal part of the aging process, though this process can be brought on by certain eye diseases or injuries as well.

However, if you are experiencing the appearance of streaks of light in your vision this may be a sign of a vitreous or retinal detachment. If you experience any of these signs or symptoms please see your eye doctor for an eye exam. In a comprehensive eye examination, your eye doctor can examine the vitreous, retina and the other interior parts of the eye to determine the causes of the flashes and floaters that you see.  Your eye doctor may also choose to dilate your eyes or use advanced digital retinal photography to examine and document the health of your eyes in order to rule out any eye disease or deterioration related to floaters. 

Edwards Eye Care Utilizes Advanced Retinal Imaging Technology

When starting our practice, Edwards Eye Care in Hickory Flat, we knew that it would be important to go above and beyond to give our patients the best eye care experience possible. To this end, we sought out some of the latest technology available to deliver superior patient care, such as the optomap retinal imaging technology. Now residents of Cherokee and North Fulton have access to fast, non-invasive, painless and comfortable technology that gives a broad view of the back of the eye; something no other device is capable of doing. The images provide our eye care team with information on numerous diseases that affect not only a patient’s eyes and sight but his or her overall health including cancer, hypertension, retinal detachment, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy; which is the leading cause of blindness. Preventative eye care has never been more critical than it is today, because regular eye screenings play a vital role in preventing loss of sight and detecting systemic disease. A comprehensive eye exam, including an optomap retinal imaging test, can aid in the early-diagnosis of potential problems for people of all ages, including young children. Eyes have been referred to as the ‘window’ to a patient’s overall health and can reveal conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. At Edwards Eye Care we are committed to improving the health of our patients, encouraging regular eye exams and making the eye examination process a pleasant experience. By offering our patients advanced retinal imaging technology like the optomap, we can meet those objectives and potentially drive patients to earlier diagnoses and improved overall patient health. The optomap retinal imaging test, is a patient friendly, quick and comfortable exam which captures and analyzes an image of virtually the entire retina in a quarter of a second. It takes only minutes to perform and allows the patient to view their retinal image with the doctor during the exam while also providing an annual permanent record for comparisons, tracking and diagnosing potential issues. The optomap retinal imaging technology has received worldwide recognition as an important eye care diagnostic instrument and was also recently featured on “The Doctors” program. For more information on how to take advantage of the opportunity to have optomap retinal imaging at your next comprehensive eye exam please call Edwards Eye Care at 770-479-0222 or request an appointment online at www.EdwardsEyeCare.com.