| Pass the Prozac for the Eye Floaters? Posterior | | | | deficient and anxiety. Treatment can include |
| Vitreous Detachment is a common condition, | | | | stress management techniques by a Psychologist |
| which occurs in about 75 per cent of people over | | | | or Therapist, (Eye Movement Desensitization and |
| the age of 65. As people get older the vitreous, a | | | | Reprocessing Therapy), hypnosis, anti-anxiety |
| jelly-like substance inside the eye changes. This | | | | medications, Selective serotonin inhibitors |
| can cause posterior vitreous detachment. The | | | | medications like Prozac, or other alternative |
| vitreous is a clear jelly-like substance within the | | | | treatments to reduce anxiety and cause |
| eye, which takes up the space behind the lens | | | | perceptual shifts away from the eye floater. |
| and in front of the retina, the light sensitive layer | | | | Another possibility is fitting a tinted contact lens |
| at the back of the eye. It is 99 percent water. | | | | on the affected eye to degrade the overall image |
| The other 1 percent consists of substances, | | | | and lessen the focal awareness of a central |
| which are important in maintaining the shape and | | | | deficit. Artificial tears transitionally used for the |
| structure of the vitreous. The outer part of the | | | | treatment of dry eyes can be used on a regular |
| vitreous (the cortex) has the highest | | | | basis as distraction therapy. |
| concentration of collagen. The vitreous is attached | | | | Having something directly in your line of sight can |
| to the retina, more strongly in some places than | | | | be extremely disruptive and other than monitoring |
| others. | | | | for any long-term retinal problems the primary |
| When a Posterior Vitreous Detachment starts the | | | | therapy should be focused on reducing the |
| outer layer of the vitreous starts exerting | | | | effects of this disruption until the brain adapts. |
| traction at the points where it is adhered to the | | | | Posterior vitreous detachment does not in itself |
| retina. The firm jelly-like substance of the vitreous | | | | cause any permanent loss of vision. Your visual |
| changes with age. The central part of the vitreous | | | | acuity should remain the same and you will be |
| becomes more liquid and the outer part (cortex) | | | | able to see just as you could before the posterior |
| peels away from the retina. As it comes away | | | | vitreous detachment started. You may have |
| from the retina it can cause the symptoms of | | | | some difficulties to begin with because of the |
| posterior vitreous detachment. Many people are | | | | floaters and flashing lights though these do not |
| never aware that they have developed a | | | | cause permanent sight loss. The only threats to |
| posterior vitreous detachment but some patients | | | | vision are the small chance of a retinal tear leading |
| notice symptoms such as floaters or flashing | | | | to a retinal detachment or a retinal membrane |
| lights. Floaters can present with many different | | | | formation causing distortions in your vision. It is |
| forms varying from little dots, circles, lines, to | | | | important to stress that retinal tears and |
| clouds or cobwebs. Sometimes people experience | | | | detachments are much rarer conditions and that |
| one large floater, which can be extremely | | | | very few people with posterior vitreous |
| distracting and make reading a difficult task. The | | | | detachments go on to develop either of these |
| flashing lights that occur are also caused by the | | | | problems. Sometimes the vitreous is so firmly |
| posterior vitreous detachment. As the outer part | | | | attached to the surface of the retina that as the |
| of the vitreous detaches from the retina it can | | | | jelly collapses it pulls quite strongly on the retina. |
| pull on this light sensitive membrane, especially | | | | In a few people this may lead to the retina |
| where there are strong anchor attachment points. | | | | tearing which in turn could lead to a loss of vision |
| The pull of the vitreous in these areas stimulates | | | | because of a retinal detachment. |
| the retina. This stimulation causes the sensation of | | | | Warning signs of a retinal tear or detachment |
| flashing lights since the brain interprets all | | | | could be an increase in size and number of your |
| stimulation of the retina as signals for light. Sudden | | | | floaters, a change or increase in the flashing lights |
| head movements often precipitate flashes as | | | | you experience, or a blurring of vision. If you |
| they cause the vitreous to move inside the eye. | | | | experience any of these symptoms you should |
| Can anything be done to help with the posterior | | | | seek medical advice within 24 hours. This is |
| vitreous detachment? Yes but not what you | | | | particularly important if you notice a dark "curtain" |
| would probably expect. Central floaters can be | | | | falling across your vision, as this may mean that |
| extremely distracting and interfere with daily | | | | the retina has already partially detached. Early |
| functioning when they first occur. Unfortunately at | | | | intervention may allow treatment of a tear |
| this juncture there are no good medical | | | | before it becomes a detachment and increase the |
| procedures to remove eye floaters. Fortunately | | | | chances of a good recovery from a retinal |
| most people find that the symptoms calm down | | | | detachment. It is important to remember that |
| after about six months and eventually they | | | | posterior vitreous detachment has been |
| largely dissipate from awareness. While there are | | | | estimated to have occurred in over 75 per cent |
| no good studies to substantiate the perceptual | | | | of the population over 65 and that while a |
| adjustment the brain makes, Optometrists have | | | | posterior vitreous detachment does cause some |
| observed the brain eventually learns to ignore | | | | disturbing symptoms it normally does not |
| floaters given adequate time, except in certain | | | | threaten sight. Your Optometrist will give you a |
| lighting environments and with eye movements. | | | | thorough examination and dilate your eyes during |
| Logically this makes sense because the retina | | | | your first visit. You can expect some light |
| extinguishes any images that remain fixed and | | | | pressure on your eye as the sclera is depressed |
| don't move across the eye. Normal micro-eye | | | | to see out to the edges of the retinal eye tissue. |
| movements that are always present assure that | | | | They will pay special attention to whether or not |
| the world we live in is always visible. The blood | | | | the retina is in any danger. If it isn't then they |
| vessels inside the eye do block the retina | | | | should see you for regular eye examinations until |
| receptor cells but move in sync with the eye | | | | the vitreous detaches and the period of risk is |
| since they are attached to the top of the retina. | | | | over. If you begin to experience the symptoms |
| That is why during an eye examination with an | | | | warning of a possible retinal detachment, such as |
| eye microscope you may notice a tree branch | | | | increased or definite change in floaters, more |
| like pattern; the light is casting shadows from the | | | | severe flashing lights or a curtain falling over your |
| blood vessels in areas that do not occur during | | | | vision don't delay until the weekend is over, call to |
| normal illumination. The intensity and movement of | | | | be seen the same day. The retina is extremely |
| the microscope light beam creates an unnatural | | | | dependent on oxygen to live and postponing care |
| pattern the brain has not adapted for. Several | | | | 48 hours could result in blindness. Floaters can be |
| Eye Doctors have used laser therapy to disrupt | | | | particularly annoying. They get in the way of |
| floaters but this is not currently accepted | | | | seeing things and can make some things difficult, |
| standard of care due to the associated risks of | | | | for example reading a book. There is another |
| damaging the retina. Also, on rare occasions | | | | way of trying to cope with this that some people |
| special surgery may be done to replace the fluid | | | | find useful. If you move your eyes around you |
| inside the eye. The risk is generally not acceptable | | | | can create currents in the fluid within your eyes |
| for the benefit. | | | | that can move the floater out of your direct field |
| What you can do once the diagnosis is certain is | | | | of vision. This is a strategy to use after a |
| request treatment for the psychological disruption | | | | complete posterior vitreous detachment has |
| caused by central floaters. You will have to pursue | | | | occurred and the risk of retinal detachment has |
| this as your own advocate as Eye Doctors | | | | become minimal. Most people find that with time |
| generally do not recognize how disabling central | | | | the floaters become less and less of a problem. In |
| floaters can be initially. They proceed on the | | | | the interim, seek the type of treatment you need |
| knowledge that it will improve on it's own over | | | | to deal with the perceptual and psychological |
| time and no treatment is usually needed. In the | | | | sequel of the eye floaters. |
| interim, patients are left with a perceptual | | | | |