When a person experiences a blind spot (small area of blank vision), they normally first think they have a cataract. Indeed it could be one, but just because a cataract is a well known name doesn't mean everyone has one because they see a spot. A condition which can cause a similar effect as a cataract could be a floater.
Cells from the lining of the eyeball can detach and then float in the normally transparent vitreous fluid. These non-transparent cells block light rays from striking the retina. Sometimes the effect can also be seen as bright flashes in the image.
Because the vitreous fluid is like a gel substance, these cells don't tend to move around quickly, if at all. People do not usually associate the term floater with something that remains relatively stable in location and so it takes a vision exam to determine that the patient has a floater rather than a cataract, like it is often described as.
If the condition is a floater, there is no real treatment for it. The cells usually get absorbed (dissolved) and the problem goes away on its own in a matter of days or weeks. This is not to say that you should not have a vision exam in the hopes that a spot that appears suddenly is indeed a floater that will go away on its own. A vision exam will help to identify a floater as well as determine if there is a reason for treatment of a cause (such as an infection or disease).
| Next Section | Previous Section | Main Menu | Personal Page |