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Visual floaters: Please help!

Posted , 5 users are following.

taylor05212
taylor05212

A little history on me: I'm 21/F. I have generalized anxiety, panic disorder,  depression, PCOS, TMJ, and IBSD. These are all issues I have been dealing with. Medication list: Prozac (20 mg). Vitamin D (5,000 IU). Vitamin B12 injection (once a month). Iron (324 mg). Birth control. Ativan (.05 as needed).

My vision has changed since the beginning of this year. I now see small, clear halos when looking at bright, solid surfaces (such as the sky, walls, etc). I also see an odd wave, jelly-like substance when looking at similar surfaces. When I squint my eyes, I see a line of 20 small dots. All of the floaters I have mentioned move in an odd way, like they're falling. When I try to focus on them, my eyes make the floaters "jump" back to the top of my vision, only to begin falling again. These always look different (never the same spots or lines) and occur in both eyes. When I am focusing on something, such as the TV, I see random dots in my peripheral vision, but when I look in that direction there is nothing there. Went to the eye doctor, said everything looked fine, I am near sighted, and any disturbances were occular migranes. I have had three occular migranes, where I can very clearly see rainbow lines in my vision. These occur when I have gotten very worked up/anxious and only last a few seconds. The floaters I have previously mentioned occur ALL the time. I can look at the sky at any time during daylight, and see them. Brought these issues up to my general practioner and said this was nothing to worry about, but keep an eye on it. 

When looking down or look around quickly, I feel a visual dizziness and off-balance. 

PLEASE, if you have any information on what the possible causes of these disturbances/floaters could be, let me know. My doctors aren't worried, but I 100% am. I'm young, why am I having eye issues? I don't wear contacts and only wear glasses when driving. 

Please ask me any questions for clarification or further details. ANY information would be beyond appreciated! Thank you! 

0 likes, 22 replies

22 Replies

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  • Carolyn7171
    Carolyn7171 taylor05212

    Posted

    Hi can well understand you would be worried. Please make sure you get a 2nd opinion from another eye doctor and also a retina specialist. They are the ones who can check out the floaters.  Also many medications cause visual disturbances. Check wityh your local pharmacist as to whether anything you are taking cause these symptoms. Good luck to youl You are definitely doing the right thing, getting to the bottom of this!
    • taylor05212
      taylor05212 Carolyn7171

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply! I just called and will be heading in to see another eye doctor this afternoon in one of their emergency slots. Hoping she will get to the bottom of this!

      Thanks again!

    • lee12629
      lee12629 taylor05212

      Posted

      Hi,its probably just floaters,but have them check for post vitreous detachment. They usually happen when a person is older but can happen to younger people. Dont see an optician see an optometrist or opthomologist at a clinic not an optical pharmacy. Try and relax,at your age its probably just floaters. Although floaters are no fun, i have awful floaters,but im 59. The ones at your age i learned to ignore.
    • lee12629
      lee12629 danielle2727

      Posted

      No,i now have dry eye which is bad enough to cause visual disturbances,thank you for asking. How are you doing?
    • danielle2727
      danielle2727 lee12629

      Posted

      Oh no, I really do feel for you.

      Are you using eye drops to help?

      I'm ok thanks, floaters are the same but they bother me less than they did

    • lee12629
      lee12629 danielle2727

      Posted

      Warm compresses ,eye drops,just trying to get it under control. Im glad you are doing better.xX
    • taylor05212
      taylor05212 lee12629

      Posted

      Hi Lee, thanks for your comment! I saw an ophthalmologist today. She was extremely thorough and said everything looked very healthy, so the floaters must be brain generated, but she's not sure what they're caused by. I wish there was a more concrete cause, but I do have some peace of mind knowing there is nothing wrong with the eye! I guess I'll just have to learn to live with them. 
    • lee12629
      lee12629 taylor05212

      Posted

      Glad to hear you are ok. Its from the vitreous gel in the eye. I had them when i was in my 20s. You should be able to learn to not focus on them if they are small enough. Much worse when a person is older and they have a pvd like me.
  • danielle2727
    danielle2727 taylor05212

    Posted

    Hi Taylor -

    I wrote a post here not that long ago about eye floaters. I too am fairly young (25) and recently started seeing lots of them- if you'd had your eyes checked and nothing's wrong then it's probably just changes to the jelly in the eye - which can happen at our age unfortunately.

    Nothing can be done other than give it time and hope your brain adjusts to them

    • taylor05212
      taylor05212 danielle2727

      Posted

      Hi Danielle, thanks for the reply! I'm sorry you have these too, but I am a little calmer knowing that others have this issue. They're a total pain, but you're right, nothing can be done for this problem. I will just have to get used to them. 
  • cheri29129
    cheri29129 taylor05212

    Posted

    Listen i am a firm believer in trying as many doctors as it takes to make you feel at ease.  I have been to 5 and they still can't help me but i am not giving up.  Try and try a retina specialist.  If you don't like that one try another.  We did that for my husbad .  Let us know the outcome from today.
    • lee12629
      lee12629 cheri29129

      Posted

      I wish doctors and researchers wiuld take this problem more seriously as it can greatly affect ones life!!
    • taylor05212
      taylor05212 cheri29129

      Posted

      Hi Cheri, thanks for commenting. Saw second eye doctor today, she's convinced it is all brain generated, but she ordered a visual field test to further check the optic nerve just to be safe. 

      If my floaters worsen I will definitely continue to explore other doctors! 

    • lee12629
      lee12629 taylor05212

      Posted

      Im surprised she didnt mention the vitreous gel. Google it and floaters.
    • taylor05212
      taylor05212 lee12629

      Posted

      I will look into it more. If it is the vitreous gel, wouldn't she have seen this during the exam?
    • lee12629
      lee12629 taylor05212

      Posted

      They see the gel in an eye exam its what fills the space in your eye between the cornea and retina. I am amazed she said it was brain oriented.
    • lee12629
      lee12629 taylor05212

      Posted

      Dont worry though if they are small floaters she probably couldnt see them the way you do. Im just surprised dhe didnt explain floaters better to you. Dont worry.
    • lee12629
      lee12629

      Posted

      If i remember correctly sometimes they are even from white blood cells in the eye.
    • taylor05212
      taylor05212 lee12629

      Posted

      Thanks for all of this information. I was hoping for a better explaination from the doctor, for sure. I was surprised about the brain relatation too. She said it could be occular migranes, which is what my first eye doctor said... But if that were the case would these floaters be occuring ALL the time? As long as it is nothing serious (and it doesn't seem to be -- no detachments or tears), I will just have to learn to live with it. 
    • lee12629
      lee12629 taylor05212

      Posted

      Sounds like normal floaters to me,and yes if it were migrains i doubt youd see them all the time. Thats doctors for you. I always make a list of questions when i go in,it really helps. Doctors are so rushed now days.
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