What Are The Treatments For Floaters?

Floaters are tiny pieces of vitreous--jelly like material---that separate from the retina, causing the appearance of floating specks, spots or squiggly lines. According to doctors Donald S. Fong and Robin Demi Ross authors of "The Diabetes Eye Care Sourcebook," floaters are part of the natural aging process and though annoying are usually harmless. However, a sudden abundance of floaters, especially when accompanied by flashing lights indicates the need for immediate medical treatment.

Harmless Floaters

Floaters become more common as people age. According to the website EverydayHealth, most people will experience them at some point. The vitreous gel is a jellylike substance that fills the eye's cavity, giving it is shape. During the aging process the gel shrinks and protein clumps and separates, creating shadows that appear as floating specks. Floaters are most apparent when looking at a white background or the sky. According to Drs. Cassel, Billig and Randall, authors of "The Eye Book," floaters can go away fairly quickly or they can last for months to years. There is no treatment for these harmless floaters, although sunglasses may decrease awareness of them.

Vitrectomy Surgery

Floaters and flashing lights are common symptom in diabetics, because the disease causes a proliferation of abnormally fragile blood vessels in the eyes that may leak blood. Bleeding in the vitreous gel causes floaters as well as vision loss and possibly blindness. Doctors typically do not do surgery for floaters unless the person is at risk of vision loss. According to Fong and Ross, the ophthalmologist usually begins treatment of a vitreous hemorrhage with an ultrasound to make sure that the retina has not detached. The authors of the All About Vision website report that the vitreous gel is entirely removed from the eye and usually replaced with a saline liquid.

Alternative Treatments

According to optometrists Marc Grossman and Glen Swartwout, authors of "Natural Eye Care," floaters can be prevented and treated with "The Vision Diet." This diet emphasizes protein from fish, soy and nuts instead of meat, poultry, eggs or dairy products. They recommend whole grains, replacing white sugar with molasses and fruit juices, avoiding coffee, tea and alcohol, consuming plenty of vegetables but avoiding those in the nightshade family, cutting down on fruits and minimizing salt intake. They recommend vitamin and mineral supplements including vitamin C, chromium, copper and manganese and report that adequate amounts of calcium and phosphorus are needed to maintain the body's acid balance--reducing risk of floaters. Phyllis A. Balch, CNC and James F. Balch, M.D. authors of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing" recommend supplements--apple pectin and L-Methionine--to promote the removal of heavy metals that can circulate through the eyes and vitamin A to support eye health. The authors of the website Regenerative Nutrition recommend fighting floaters with Omega 3 oil, antioxidants such as grape seed oil, Lutein and Zeaxanthin, as well as L-Lysine and Bilberry to maintain healthy blood vessels in the eyes and Gingko to improve blood flow. In addition, Grossman and Swartwout recommend use of traditional Chinese medicine including herbs, acupressure and homeopathic remedies to treat floaters.