How long do floaters last

[Our-poor-guys]

I have a problem with my eyes.I have seen floaters for three months.I don't know what happened,may be steroids drops and antibiotic drops I 've used cause them.Seemed like these floaters have increased recently.Does anyone have an idea for this?How long does it last?Will it disappear within one or two years?

[AlfredV]

Make sure you mention this to your eye doctor. A gradual increase in floaters can be normal, but a rapid increase could be indicative of another problem.

I have a lot of floaters, especially in one eye. It's possible that I have less than I used to have or it could be that I've become used to it, I'm not sure. I know they can be really annoying, but it is possible to adjust to it and they become far less irritating.

The other thing is that floaters can move over time, and the effect of gravity has the potential to pull them out of your field of view. So if you have a particularly annoying one in your central vision, there's a reasonable chance it'll move after a while.

I've seen some claims online that people have reversed floaters with bromelain supplements (a pineapple extract), but I'm not sure if there is much science to back this up, and bromelain can do other things to the body so you have to be a bit careful.

[Our-poor-guys in reply to AlfredV]

How long have you had it?How long does I take to decrease?

[AlfredV in reply to Our-poor-guys]

I'm in my 50s now and had my first annoying floater at 21. For about 25 years nothing noticeable changed, but then I started to get an increase in my mid 40s. It could have been a predictor of health problems I later went on to have or it could have been a coincidence, I can't say for sure.

I can't really put a timescale on decreases because I can't say with certainty mine have decreased, but if they have it would be over a period of months or more, rather than noticing improvements in days or weeks.

[AlfredV in reply to Our-poor-guys]

Just to add to my other reply. This is my own experience, which doesn't necessarily mean that's how it pans out for other people, so don't put too much weight on what I say.

[whitedog]

Hello

I have them. It's vitreous - a gel like fluid - that pulls away from the retina. Common as people get older and the vitreous becomes more watery. It's down as Posterior Vitreous Detachment on my record and I also have a Weiss Ring - a larger circle of it that was attached round the optic nerve.

I don't really notice them when I'm out and about. Mostly a bit annoying when I'm looking at my laptop screen with a white background or if I'm trying to look closely at images on my phone as I only have clear vision in one eye now.

They are harmless unless you suddenly get a lot raining down - or see flashes of light - that might indicate a detached retina and would need urgent attention.

[Ripley001]

Hi, it sounds like PVD , posterior virtuous detachment , which I have and is a normal part of ageing. Obviously always go see your eye doc about anything to do with your eyes to get them to confirm . I get a scan at the opticians and they can see this happening , or if it’s complete . I run a self help group with other people who have it .

[JustAmanda]

I get them occasionally. Generally they’re fibrous and small, like specs of dust, but have reduced since I’ve been on Monopost. That might be a coincidence.

However, I once had one the size of a tadpole, which was quite distressing. It lasted for about three months but gradually seemed to break up into smaller pieces, before fading away. At that time the hospital monitored me closely for several months to make sure it was not my retina detaching.

I don’t think they're particularly significant but if it’s distressing you, you could go to your A&E Eye Department to get it checked. As others have said, it sounds like vitreous, and is quite common.

[LeeLiam]

How long do floaters last? I remember first seeing a floater when I was 6 years old. I am now 75. So I guess my answer would be at least 69 years.