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Most people experience floaters over the course of their lifetime due to age-related changes in the body. The sudden appearance of floaters, however, could spell trouble for the eyes. According to health bodies, three major conditions have been known to produce the little specks in a person’s visual field.
The American Diabetes Association cautions: “When you have diabetes, you should always report the presence of floaters to your eye doctor.”
This advice extends to any who has previously been diagnosed with eye complications or has experienced floaters before, as the sudden development of new floaters could be a sign of a new issue or the worsening of an existing issue.
“Most eye floaters are caused by age-related changes that occur as the jelly-like substance (vitreous) inside your eyes liquefies and contracts,” explains the Mayo Clinic.
As the body ages, tiny strands of the vitreous (the gel-like fluid that fills your eye) stick together and cast shadows on your retina, the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye.
This can also have more serious causes, however, including retinal haemorrhage.
Haemorrhaging blood vessels is associated with several major conditions, including high blood pressure and high glucose levels.
When high blood sugar levels are poorly controlled the blood vessels within the retinal tissue also become damaged.
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This can eventually cause fluid to leak from the vessels, which in turn may distort vision in several different ways, causing floaters.
The phenomenon, known as diabetic retinopathy, can also lead to blurred vision, loss of central vision and black spots in the area of vision.
Another known cause of retinal haemorrhages is eye stroke.
“The hallmark signs of eye stroke are sudden and painless vision loss or changes in vision – like blurriness, floaters, a darkened area in your field of vision, decreased visual contract, and light sensitivity – in one eye,” explains Duke Health.
Though symptoms may resolve with treatment, an eye stroke should not be taken as a light matter.
The condition, also known as anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy, often foreshadows the risk of a more serious stroke.
In the event of an eye stroke, it’s equally important to note that a retinal haemorrhage could be signalling an underlying condition that needs attention, such as high blood pressure.
When there is increased pressure on the blood vessels, this can block blood flow through a vein and lead to sudden vision loss.
Another lesser-known cause of eye floaters is eye melanoma, which has been known to present asymptomatically in many cases.
When the condition does produce symptoms, these tend to include sensations of flashes or floaters, as well as a growing dark spot on the iris.
The take-home message is that a sudden increase in eye floaters is the biggest red flag of all, and warrants a call to an eye specialist.
This is particularly important if you also notice light flashes or lose vision, as “these can be symptoms of an emergency that requires prompt attention,” explains Mayo Clinic.
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