There are foods to avoid if you are trying to lose weight, suffer from food allergies, have diabetes or want to lower your cholesterol. But if you're worried about getting eye floaters, don't think twice about what's on your plate. There are many risk factors for floaters, but there are no foods on the list.
Floaters
Floaters can form at any age, though they're more likely to start appearing as you get older. The eye is filled with vitreous gel that gives your eyeball its shape. As people age, that gel may start to shrink and pull away from the interior surface of the eyeball. Clumps of cellular debris may form and float within the gel, casting a shadow on the retina. These floaters may appear as spots, strands, shadows or cobwebs that seem to be floating in front of you. However, because they're inside your eye, they move with you.
Foods
Foods rich in vitamin A are good for overall eye health and for night vision, but there are no foods that have been singled out as a cause of floaters. Dr. Stuart Richer, an ocular nutrition researcher and member of the American Optometric Association Health Promotion Committee, of Chicago, Illinois, says the impact of nutrition on floaters has been largely ignored by medical researchers. He notes there is no evidence to suggest that foods and vitamins play a role in the development of floaters or can help to treat them.
Causes
Avoiding floaters is not as easy as cutting a certain food from your diet. The leading cause of floaters is the aging process. Being over 50 puts you at greater risk of developing floaters, and the incidence of floaters increases with age. Being nearsighted is another risk factor you can't control. You also are at greater risk of floaters if you suffer a trauma to the eye or have complications from cataract surgery, inflammation in the eye or diabetic retinopathy.
Considerations
Floaters may be a bit annoying or distracting, but they're generally nothing to fear. They cause no pain and most require no treatment. Surgical and laser procedures to treat floaters are rarely recommended because they carry serious risks. If you notice a sudden increase in floaters along with flashes of light, it's time to contact your eye doctor. This could be a sign of retinal detachment, which could lead to vision loss if left untreated.
References
- Dr. Stuart Richer; Ocular Nutrition Researcher, Member of the American Optometric Association Health Promotion Committee; Chicago, Illinois
- MayoClinic.com: Eye Floaters
- MedlinePlus: Eye Floaters
- American Optometric Association: Spots and Floaters
- American Academy of Opthalmology: What Are Floaters and Flashes?
