1. Let Them Float
Though seeing dark circles and squiggles in front of your eyes isn't pleasant, it usually isn't harmful either. Rather, eye floaters are often a natural yet irritating part of aging, and the best way to treat them is to do your best to ignore the visual disturbances. Caused by shadows falling on your retina due to deposits in the jelly-like substance that fills the back two-thirds of your eye, the dark, grayish floating specks are most noticeable when you look at something bright, like the afternoon sky. To temporarily get rid of the shadows in your vision, simply close your eyes or sit in a very dark room. Where there's no light, there are also no floaters. But you can't walk around with your eyes closed all day. If the dark spots get in your way when you're trying to read or watch television, try moving your eye around a bit. This makes the jelly inside move as well, and it could shift the floating deposit out of your way. Another good thing to know is that as you live with your floaters, your brain may also learn to ignore them. Just like you forget you're wearing glasses after a while, you can forget you're seeing floaters as well.
2. Turn to Drastic Measures
In extreme cases, you may have so many floaters that they get in the way of everyday activities like your ability to drive. Even when this happens, most doctors will still tell you to leave your eye floaters alone. However, there is a surgical procedure that can help. During a vitrectomy, a doctor inserts a needle into your eye to remove the vitreous humor, or jelly-like substance, along with the floating deposits. Then, he replaces the vitreous humor with a clear, saltwater solution. Though the procedure is 98 percent effective in removing floaters, it's also quite risky. Complications can include retinal detachment, retinal tears and the development of cataracts. So unless your floaters are severely affecting your quality of life, consider living with them instead of opting for surgery.
3. Treat an Underlying Cause
Migraine sufferers may experience visual symptoms that are similar to eye floaters. Some migraines come with neurological effects called aura, which precedes the actual migraine. Seeing floaters can be one of the many symptoms of the aura. Though these floaters are temporary and are not actual deposits in the eye, they may look very similar to normal eye floaters. By treating a migraine, you also treat these resulting visual disturbances. You can lessen the symptoms of a migraine during an attack by taking over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen, acetaminophen or aspirin. If those drugs don't help, talk to your doctor about stronger, prescription medication options. Another approach is to work to prevent the onset of a migraine. Avoid foods or activities that trigger the migraine. Some common triggers are red wine, aged cheeses, smoking and certain smells.
