The black specks that pass through vision, called floaters, will not typically disrupt your vision. The spots occur when the vitreous, the clear filling in the back of your eye, breaks down and forms clumps. You can also have floaters if the vitreous pulls and tears the retina, the tissue that lines your inner eye. Treatment will depend on the severity of your floaters, but nutrients such as vitamin B-12 will not prevent or treat floater formation.
Vitamin B-12
The role of vitamin B-12 does not play a part in floaters, and the best way to know this is in understanding the function of B-12. This nutrient helps form red blood cells and aids in neurological functions. Vitamin B-12 also helps other nutrients and chemicals come together to form compounds necessary for your body. If you do not have enough vitamin B-12, your body cannot synthesize these compounds, and you will have an increased risk for certain health conditions such as heart disease.
Signs
A deficiency in vitamin B-12 may cause symptoms such as weakness, loss of appetite, numbness, tingling, poor balance and depression. If you have too much vitamin B-12, you will not likely experience any side effects.
The average adult needs around 2.4 mcg of vitamin B-12 each day, but this amount may vary depending on other health factors. Foods that contain B-12 include liver, which provides 48.0 mcg and salmon, with 4.9 mcg. If you have a deficiency, your doctor may recommend a daily supplement.
Treatment
If you have a single floater or a few floaters that do not have any effect on your vision, your doctor will not recommend treatment. However, if you have significant floaters, your doctor may recommend a vitrectomy. For this procedure, an eye surgeon, often one who specializes in retinal conditions, will remove your vitreous humor and replace this with a clear saline solution. This eliminates all floaters present. Your doctor may also recommend this procedure if you have a single floater that stays in your visual field or affects your vision in any way.
Considerations
A sudden appearance of many new floaters may indicate a retinal detachment or other serious condition. These changes require prompt evaluation, and you should contact your doctor as soon as possible. If this occurs on the weekend or after normal business hours, contact the on-call doctor or go to your local emergency room. Failing to treat this condition quickly could result in permanent damage to your vision.
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