Serious question.

[Mrs Kendall]

I hope this belongs here.

I've been wondering for as long as I can remember what causes that little black squiggly line in your vision. Can anyone help me out with a serious answer?

They are those annoying lines that when you try to follow them they dissapear or fall down too fast.

The only thing I know is that they tend to show up most when I'm tired.

[Vyraeth]

I believe you're talking about floaters, or as it's more properly known, mydesopsia.

Here is a brief Wiki article on them: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floaters.

[Mrs Kendall]

Yes, this is what I'm talking about, thanks so much for the help. I didn't even know what to call them or what to search for so you have been very helpful.

It's good to know that I have a mild case and treatment is not necissary. Now I can relax and not worry about it anymore. Unless of course it gets worse.

So I'm curious now, how many people have floaters besides me?

[Old Plympto]

Me. I noticed them in high school and I was worried about them quite a bit. Now here I am twenty years later and more informed of what they are, and I barely notice them. When I do actively notice them, it can seem like a jumbled up morass in front of my retinas.

[The Nomad]

I used to see them, mostly before I became shortsighted, at the end of high school. I have rarely if ever paid attention to them since then, though.

[Raesene]

I see a lot of them. Most of the time they don't bother me, but when working on a computer they are annoying, because of the relatively bland background.

[D.Turtle]

I also have them, however most of the time I don't notice them.

[Mrs Kendall]

Yeah I mostly don't notice them unless I'm staring at the wall or sky, and they mostly show up when I'm tired but can't sleep.

[salm]

if you move your eyes abuptly you can controll the direction where they´re floating. They can be a whole bunch of fun.

[Dooey Jo]

I've had them for a long time. I used to think that they were dust or something on my eyes, but then one day I thought about it, and realised that those things actually had to be inside the lens. That was a little disturbing, but apparently they're nothing to worry about.

if you move your eyes abuptly you can controll the direction where they´re floating. They can be a whole bunch of fun.

Yep, I often find myself doing this when I'm bored in class or on the bus. Though I'm trying to stop, because I've come to the conclusion that I must look really stupid when I do it...

[Vyraeth]

It's good to know that I have a mild case and treatment is not necissary. Now I can relax and not worry about it anymore. Unless of course it gets worse.

So I'm curious now, how many people have floaters besides me?

I'm glad I was able to help, I only know because I've experienced this before and wondered what the cause of it was.

The good news is that, at least according to my eye doctor, this is a rather natural thing that most people experience from time to time, and that it's not a cause for concern, unless you get an abundance of floaters (as in an overwhelming amount) or the floaters are accompanied by bright flashes of light (or at least what would appear to be bright flashes of light). As those symptoms are the start of retinal tearing (just to caution, that may actually be incorrect, I forget the exact name of the condition because it's been awhile since I've looked all this up), but alas if none of this is happening, then I doubt you have anything to worry about.

If it continues to bug you at all, or things worsen, your doctor can further evaluate your condition.

Once again, I'm glad I was able to help. Have a good day.

[Hawkwings]

if you move your eyes abuptly you can controll the direction where they´re floating. They can be a whole bunch of fun.

Wait a minute, how do you do that?

[Soontir C'boath]

Look to your left and right, up and down, or what have you back and forth as quick as you can I would presume.

[Dooey Jo]

if you move your eyes abuptly you can controll the direction where they´re floating. They can be a whole bunch of fun.

Wait a minute, how do you do that?

Look to the right, floaters go to the right. Look to the left, floaters go to the left. Look down, floaters go down. Look up slowly, floaters stay down.

[salm]

Yeah. Then look for a relative small target, like a soda can 3 meters away and try to keep the floater on the target like a laser pointer.

[Old Plympto]

if you move your eyes abuptly you can controll the direction where they´re floating. They can be a whole bunch of fun.

Wait a minute, how do you do that?

Look to the right, floaters go to the right. Look to the left, floaters go to the left. Look down, floaters go down. Look up slowly, floaters stay down.

It's like the floaters have their own inertia, and you have to take this into account while moving your eyeballs to get the floaters to move.

[Broomstick]

So I'm curious now, how many people have floaters besides me?

It's virtually universal.

Some have more, some have less, but everyone has some. Some people notice, some don't.

[Admiral Valdemar]

And others have their eyes EXPLODE!

Ha ha, just kiddin'.

They implode.

[LadyTevar]

Floaters don't bother me, I've had them all my life.

It's that nasty little wavy 'heat mirage' that bugs the crap out of me, because it means that I'm about to suffer a migraine. It only appears in one eye, it distorts anywhere from 1/3-1/2 of the vision out of that eye only, and I have less than 30min before the head pain hits.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Floaters don't bother me, I've had them all my life.

It's that nasty little wavy 'heat mirage' that bugs the crap out of me, because it means that I'm about to suffer a migraine. It only appears in one eye, it distorts anywhere from 1/3-1/2 of the vision out of that eye only, and I have less than 30min before the head pain hits.

Is that a good sign? I recall somewhere that high blood pressure symptoms include migraine.

[Old Plympto]

I had those "heat shimmer first, then migraine" thing mostly in high school too. I found that the best way to defeat it is to take a short nap. Even a minute being unconscious will purge the pain. (Which does wonders for my reputation in class with the teachers. Look at that! Old Plympto is asleep again! Whack on the head with a duster!!!)

Again, I haven't had one of those in quite a while. I think I might have experienced it just once or twice this last decade. As opposed to at least once a week in school.

[Medic]

Okay, those are floaters. I only ever notice them staring at the sky.
I know what it's like to sort of get a gray out from a good knock to the head but not those heat mirages.


Now what I want to know is what are ... almost bright streakers that are almost like swarming insects in your vision? I've gotten a very brief exposure (no more than 6 seconds) to these 3 times. (all in the last 2 years)

The streaks appear, go in one direction for a moment and disappear just as quickly. They're sort of pill shaped (just slimmer) and bright, it almost resembles fireflys at night. (without the zig zagging)

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

Floaters don't bother me, I've had them all my life.

It's that nasty little wavy 'heat mirage' that bugs the crap out of me, because it means that I'm about to suffer a migraine. It only appears in one eye, it distorts anywhere from 1/3-1/2 of the vision out of that eye only, and I have less than 30min before the head pain hits.

Migraine Aura, I believe. I call mine the Lightning Snake.

[Stile]

Okay, those are floaters. I only ever notice them staring at the sky.
I know what it's like to sort of get a gray out from a good knock to the head but not those heat mirages.


Now what I want to know is what are ... almost bright streakers that are almost like swarming insects in your vision? I've gotten a very brief exposure (no more than 6 seconds) to these 3 times. (all in the last 2 years)

The streaks appear, go in one direction for a moment and disappear just as quickly. They're sort of pill shaped (just slimmer) and bright, it almost resembles fireflys at night. (without the zig zagging)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_field ... phenomenon

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

Okay, those are floaters. I only ever notice them staring at the sky.
I know what it's like to sort of get a gray out from a good knock to the head but not those heat mirages.


Now what I want to know is what are ... almost bright streakers that are almost like swarming insects in your vision? I've gotten a very brief exposure (no more than 6 seconds) to these 3 times. (all in the last 2 years)

The streaks appear, go in one direction for a moment and disappear just as quickly. They're sort of pill shaped (just slimmer) and bright, it almost resembles fireflys at night. (without the zig zagging)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_field ... phenomenon

Or the occasional Neutrino Flash, wherein an antineutrino hits a proton, turning it into a neutron and a positron (electron's antimatter counterpart), which emits a blue Cerenkov flash you see as it shoots off at very nearly the vacuum speed of light. Jolly good fun indeed.