Floaters

[MinimedPumper07]

How many floaters is too many floaters? Lately I have been getting a lot. Everywhere I look I see like 10-15, moreso in solid colored rooms and outside. I went to the doc and he did one of those pictures of my eyes and didn't see anything wrong. I told him I see floaters and he didn't seem to give a ****. He said its normal. I looked up diabetic retinopathy and a symptom is floaters, but that its very rare to get diabetic retinopathy until you have had the disease for 10 years, and I am only a year in. Does anybody else see tons of floaters? Like 10+?

[EasyType2]

Floaters are very normal. Non-Ds have them regularly. Unless they impair your vision, nothing to worry about.

I often see 4 ro 5 at once.

[brian_999]

I'm in the same boat as you my friend. I was diagnosed a year ago and my first floater appeared in my left eye 6 months ago. It scared the **** out of me. A few months after that I got several new floaters in my right eye. I have seen a total of 4 opthamologists, one retina specialist and two optometrists/ All of whom dialted my eyes and said they can't see anything wrong and gave me the standard don't worry about it line. They said it's not a big deal and to stop obsessing over it. All that did was piss me off because the floaters give me panic attacks everytime I see them. I have developed a phobia about going out into the daylight they are so bad. I've been told that I'll continue to get them. I've contemplated a virectomy but I'm only 31 and my doctor won't do it until he sees a problem. In closing, they suck and won't go away. We gotta find a way to accept it.

[BlueSky]

I have always had lots of floaters - about 4 or 5 in each eye. I only became aware of them during a discussion about eyes in a biology class. That was before I became T1 30 years ago. They haven't got any worse. I now have minimal background retinopathy too, but that is a another issue.

[Mich]

This is informative

Eye Floaters and Seeing Spots in the Eye - AllAboutVision.com (http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/spotsfloats.htm)

[MinimedPumper07]

Thats the thing. I didn't really notice or care about them until I read what they were on this forum somewhere and ever since they bug the **** outa me.

[modbom]

My Fiance is an Ophthalmologist and I've always had floaters (even pre-diabetes) You can bet I asked her about it:
It seems like there are 2 seemingly contradictory things here.
1 -lots of people have them. They're no big deal
2- however floaters are a symptom of bad retinal stuff (like a detachment)

Basically the floaters sound like a symptom that needs to be investigated (with a dilated exam) in order to determine if it's significant. If the DR says you're fine, they are not telling a lie or being lazy. It's true. You're fine. My fiance has floaters herself.

Basically the floaters sound like a symptom that needs to be investigated (with a dialated exam) in order to determine if it's significant. If the DR says you're fine, they are not lieing or being lazy. It's true. You're fine. My fiance has floaters herself .

[brian_999]

My Fiance is an Ophthalmologist and I've always had floaters (even pre-diabetes) You can bet I asked her about it:
It seems like there are 2 seemingly contradictory things here.
1 -lots of people have them. They're no big deal
2- however floaters are a symptom of bad retinal stuff (like a detachment)

Basically the floaters sound like a symptom that needs to be investigated (with a dilated exam) in order to determine if it's significant. If the DR says you're fine, they are not telling a lie or being lazy. It's true. You're fine. My fiance has floaters herself.

Basically the floaters sound like a symptom that needs to be investigated (with a dialated exam) in order to determine if it's significant. If the DR says you're fine, they are not lieing or being lazy. It's true. You're fine. My fiance has floaters herself .

Thanks for the reply. Is there any way to prevent retinal detachments? What causes them?

[Richard157]

I have had maybe 40+ floaters in my left eye for at least 20 years. I adjusted to them and hardly notice them now. I also have several small blood vessels that have breaks in them, in my right eye. They are directly behind the lens. I looks like I am looking through screen wire with my left eye and through a smudgey window with my right eye. It all shows very clearly right now as I look at my bright computer screen. My doctor told me that he can do surgery and remove the obstruction from both eyes. (One eye ,then wait a few months and then the other eye.) I had cataracts removed from both eyes 10-15 years ago. I don't think this surgery will be any more serious than the cataract surgery was. None of my problems are retinopathy. I have had T1 for 62 years and I do not have retinopathy. I am putting off the surgery I need . The doctor says let him know any time I want it done. I will probably get it done in 2008.

Richard

[MinimedPumper07]

Richard is there any reason for all those floaters. Also do you only see floaters in your left eye because that is weird. Sometimes I do see like 10 floaters in both eyes and it gets really annoying, but when I am inside I don't notice it. Its one of those things that only bother you if you want it to bother you. How do they remove floaters?

BTW I did have that dilated exam and the doctor noticed nothing except a drop of blood in one eye that he said he expected to be gone in a few months.

[MinimedPumper07]

Thats really a miracle story Richard. What was insulin therapy like back in the 40s and 50s? I didn't even know they had shots back then. Thats amazing that you have been through so much and you should share your story with other type 1's.

[Richard157]

Yes, I have many floaters, but only in my left eye. I can see better with that eye than I can with the right eye where the broken blood vessels are located.

In the 40's and 50's there was very little known about diabetes. I knew not to eat sugar but my parents were not given any other information. The docors had no other knowledge to share back then. I ate tons of carbs, but not sugar carbs. It is a miracle that I have lived this long and have no serious complications. I am very healthy. I must have good genes. I used beef and pork insulin from 1945 until the mid 1980's. It worked very well for me. I styed very slender. I was told to use Humulin N and R insulins in the mid 80's. I started gaining weight. The modern day insulins have not been so good for me in some ways. I am pumping now and I have very good control. My A1c is 5.7.

Richard

[MinimedPumper07]

wow I have so many floaters they do not go away. I have like 10 in each eye. I want to go see an eye doc. Is removing them safe or dangerous?

[Richard157]

My doctor assures me that it is safe but he always adds that there is some risk in even the most minor surgeries.

Richard

[modbom]

retinal detachments seem to happen when people get hit really hard, like a car accident, or if they have some other very advanced eye problems. It's not going to sneak up on you.

[deansreef]

i see the occasional white spots also. I need to make another appt with the eye doctor also.

Thanks for the thread to remind us all to get our eyes examined.

Dean

[MinimedPumper07]

I wonder if that drop of blood from a month ago is the reason for all these floaters or maybe I am just a hypochondriac. I hope its the latter. When I am really into something I don't notice floaters at all but when I start thinking about them and possible eye problems I start freaking out and seeing them everywhere.

I am so depressed right now. Going to the doctor is going to feel like christmas morning. Can't wait to find what santa gives me.