Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy discussion

I know this is so off topic, but I need advice. I am turning 40 next week so age may be related. I have terrible eye floaters. I have always had them but they are getting really bad. I can't get thru a page in my reading without rubbing my eyes 100 times in the hopes of clearing my vision. I went to see an opthamologist and she said there is essentially nothing to do about it. She said there is a surgery to remove them but usually the surgery fails or creates more floaters. They are really starting to bother me when I read. Which is making my reading very slow...ugh!! Anyone else suffer from this and if so do you know any good homemade remedies that work?
Thanks so much for any help yall can give!!

I work with some of the best ophthalmologists in the country at work everyday, though I personally do not have a medical background. :)

About 15 years ago, my dad had really bad floaters right before he had a detached retina. I would get a second opinion if I were you, but I maybe paranoid ;)

You know I was thinking that. She told me the signs to look for in a detached retina. Like black spots. But what do they do when your retina detaches? Are there any good treatments for floaters?

Dont muck around. Detached retinas are major trouble. Dont let it get to that stage what ever you do. I'd do as flity.... says and get a second 0pinion. Floaters aren't just floaters.

What kind of floaters are they Danielle? And where do you live?

I have some on one eye that look like a group of little whitish-grey lines hooked together--almost like a drawing of a constellation. But they're in my peripheral vision, so they don't bother my reading. I just notice them when I look to the right.

My optometrist noticed them a few years ago and sent me to an ophthalmologist who told me what I had was Occular Histoplasmosis Syndrome. Histoplasmosis is a disease which she told me is pretty common in the "corn belt" of the US. It is from an airborne fungus that comes from bird poop, and when the farmers till the fields, it puts it into the air.

Supposedly 90% of people who live in what they call the "Histo Belt" (all of Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and West Virginia and large portions of Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia) have had histoplasmosis--it usually just presents as a cold and your immune system takes care of it.

But some people develop this secondary Occular Histoplasmosis Syndrome, where little blood vessels grow in the eye. My doctor told me we'll just watch mine, as it's not near my retina so it doesn't impair my vision, but that if it did, they could do surgery.

My doctor told me that she sees this a lot in our area--I'm in Illinois and am actually looking at a corn field out my window as I type this. :) So if you grew up in the Histo Belt too, I'd probably get a second opinion also. Well, even if you didn't and your floaters are nothing like mine, I'd still get a second opinion--you don't want to mess around when it comes to your eyes.

I have been in the ophthalmic business close to 30 years.

Floaters are usually benign. Once that has been established, which has been done in this case, basically you just have to put up with them. The only surgery is a vitrious transplant, which has the doctor I work with puts it would be like swatting a fly with a train. Not really feasible.

Ocular Histoplasmosis is completely unrelated to floaters and floaters are not a symptom or side effect.

Rubbing your eyes will not diminish the floaters as they are internal. You might try rolling your eyes instead, sometimes that will move them out of your direct vision.

I have a larger amount of floaters too, they sometimes effect my vision when I'm driving, which is annoying as hell.

I would not panic, and I don't believe a second opinion is needed. While they can be an early sign of a retinal detachment, that has already been ruled out by your doctor. Get yearly dilations, and be aware of other signs of retinal detachments. Flashing lights, a "veil" or "spider web" falling into your vision or a sudden loss of an area in your visual field should be check out immediately, as in same day.

There is no home remedy. Sorry.

Thanks everyone. I live in mobile Alabama. No corn fields. Lol
Yea I was pretty sure the surgery was a big lose lose situation. I will try the eye rolling. Unfortunately my floaters are in the center if my field of vision. They look like carpet fibers. So annoying. But I did just get dilated by an opthomologist and she had trouble finding a problem. I am aware of the signs and symptoms of retinal detachment so I am watching for that. I have a good friend who is an opthomologist. I plan on speaking to her this weekend about it. Thanks for all the help.

Oooooh, so you guys are talking about actual stuff floating in your eyes, like eye gunk? Then yes--TOTALLY not ocular histo related. :) I always assumed when people talked about floaters in their eyes, they were talking about something permanent in their vision, like mine, as they "float" throughout my vision when I look around.

Just ignore my post. :)

Laura Lulu wrote: "Oooooh, so you guys are talking about actual stuff floating in your eyes, like eye gunk? Then yes--TOTALLY not ocular histo related. :) I always assumed when people talked about floaters in their ..."

NO we are not talking about eye gunk...LOL I am laughing so hard. Not sure if I have what you have. But, it is in the vitrous fluid inside your eye. I think as you get older, the fluid thickens and can appear like fibers or like you said constellations in your vision. Yeah it's permanent and in the way of everything. But surprisingly I tried the eyer rolling thing and it kind of works temporarily. You have to do it often. I can see a tick forming!!! LOL
pretty much... getting old sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Danielle wrote: "getting old sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Lol. I couldn't agree more. I'm only 2 years behind you, and gaining fast. :)

Happy early birthday!

Geeze Dani--you're still a baby. What are you complaining about? :o) And I too have floaters, which the dr has said can't have anything done about them. Mostly I just put up with them. Sometimes putting my head back for a minute or so will make them float out of the center of my vision. Other than that, just suffer from them. And yeah, it DOES suck, but ya know, there's way too many books out there for me to want to "indulge" in the alternative to getting old.

Thanks Laura and Ann!! LOL
I know right?!?!?! I think I will read until the day I die!! Love it!!!!

I have floaters too...have had them for YEARS like over 10 years and I am not even 35 yet. I know there is nothing wrong with my eyes and just have to deal. Some days I don't see them at all and others they are a total pain. Yup...just gotta deal. Isn't there some weird comfort knowing you are not alone??? :)