Floaters in the eye

[bmwquay]

This may be silly, but could it possibly have something to do with your bed bug infestation as per your original bed bug post? Ask your optometrist...

Copied from the internet:
"Everything You Need to Know About Eye Parasites

• Symptoms
• Types
• Treatment
• Prevention
• Takeaway

What are parasites?
A parasite is an organism that lives in or on another organism, which is called the host. Through this interaction, the parasite receives benefits, such as nutrients, at the expense of the host.
There are three types of parasites:

• Protozoa. These are single-celled organisms that are able to grow and multiply within the host. Examples include Plasmodium species and Giardia species, which can cause malaria and giardiasis, respectively.
• Helminths. Helminths are larger wormlike parasites. Examples include roundworms and flatworms.
• Ectoparasites. Ectoparasites include organisms such as lice, ticks, and mites, which can attach to and live on the body of a host.

Some parasites can infect humans, causing a parasitic infection. They typically enter the body through the skin or the mouth. Once inside the body, these parasites can travel to other organs, including the eyes.
Read on to learn more about eye parasites, including how to tell if you have one and what to do next if you do.
What are the symptoms of an eye parasite?
Parasitic eye infections don’t always cause symptoms, which can make them hard to recognize.
When symptoms do occur, they can include:

• eye pain
• redness or inflammation in the eye
• excessive tear production
• blurry vision
• the presence of floaters (small spots or lines) in your field of vision
• sensitivity to light
• crusting around the eyelids and eyelashes
• redness and itching around the eye
• retinal scarring
• loss of vision and blindness

This is interesting and again also scary. I'll bring it up with my optometrist as well.
I also recently discovered I have sleep apnea. This is a self diagnosis. I found that when I was dozing off I can feel my breathing being obstructed.
I'll start another thread on that as well to see how others have dealt with sleep apnea.

 

[bmwquay]

I experienced the same symptoms you did, floaters and flashes, then a few days later my retina detached. I got treated with a gas bubble to put the retina back in place.

See an optometrist who can recommend you to see an ophthalmologist. Tell them you are concerned about retina detachment, and see if they can help you.

Thank you for this. As I"ve stated earlier when I last saw my optometrist a year and a half ago I did bring up the visual aura. The flashing lights. He just dismissed it or didn't fully know what it was. He theorized what happened and then just left it at that. It's a husband and wife practice so tomorrow I'm seeing his wife so I'll be sure to insist on them referring an opthalmologist.

By the way, when you retina detached a few days later how did you know? Your vision went black? I suppose that was scary. Did you call 911 and got surgery immediately?

 

[bmwquay]

Oh yeah, been there and done that. YOU ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE ONE OR MORE TEARS IN THE RETINA OF YOUR EYE(S) Sorry to shout, inadvertent caps lock - pay attention, though. See an ophthalmologist/retinal specialist as soon as you can! I was refereed to Dr. K and went to his office expecting to get an appointment in maybe a couple of months. Within 30 minutes of my walking in the door I was in a chair and he was using a laser to seal the retinal tears. Having good health coverage helped, but I never saw that kind or turnaround at a specialists office and never have since. The procedure is almost painless, unless you are especially sensitive to bright lights.

Don't let this go! You could wind up with a detached retina, which is really bad news. Permanent blindness could even result...

Thank you. Again scary. If not for all this feedback I probably would have been in denial and not acted immediately to see my optometrist.

 

[glamphotographer]

Thank you for this. As I"ve stated earlier when I last saw my optometrist a year and a half ago I did bring up the visual aura. The flashing lights. He just dismissed it or didn't fully know what it was. He theorized what happened and then just left it at that. It's a husband and wife practice so tomorrow I'm seeing his wife so I'll be sure to insist on them referring an opthalmologist.

By the way, when you retina detached a few days later how did you know? Your vision went black? I suppose that was scary. Did you call 911 and got surgery immediately?

Yep my vision went black but like a slow black curtain sliding over. I went to Toronto Western Hospital Emergency. Waiting like 3 hours and saw an ophthalmologist, he told me to come back the next day to be operated on. They put in a gas bubble that holds the retina in place, then I had to lie down at home on my bed with my head placed a certain way for hours, and for about 40 days. I could not work and you cannot fly as air pressure at high altitudes will make you blind. After the gas bubble dissipates then you are safe to fly again.

 

[bmwquay]

A couple of questions for the OP.

1) Are you nearsighted?
2) Is the pressure in your eyes under 20?

Yes, I can see close but for far I need corrected lenses.
I do not know my eye pressure.

 

[bmwquay]

Yep my vision went black but like a slow black curtain sliding over. I went to Toronto Western Hospital Emergency. Waiting like 3 hours and saw an ophthalmologist, he told me to come back the next day to be operated on. They put in a gas bubble that holds the retina in place, then I had to lie down at home on my bed with my head placed a certain way for hours, and for about 40 days. I could not work and you cannot fly as air pressure at high altitudes will make you blind. After the gas bubble dissipates then you are safe to fly again.

Thanks for this information. So for 40 straight days you had to lie down a certain way? That would be another concern of mine since I feel I have sleep apnea. Obstructed breathing when I sleep. Intending to start a thread on sleep apnea.

 

[bmwquay]

I had these “floaters” that where a symptom of a problem in my blood and I ended up having a t.i.a. A stent was inserted and now I am fine. Get checked to be safe.

This is very interesting. Last few weeks I found that my breathing is obstructed when I'm falling asleep. I may have sleep apnea. I could very well have had t.i.a. as well. A stroke that lasts only a few minutes due to lack of oxygen to the brain when I'm sleeping. Now I'm very concerned.

 

[massman]

As a general rule, don’t get medical advice on TERB. But with potential vision threatening symptoms, see a professional and don’t try to self diagnose, or listen to random folks on the net. You are doing the right thing getting seen asap.

 

[massman]

Can an optometrist refer me to an opthalmologist if he confirms it's a retinal tear?

Don’t know for sure, but I think so. I would assume they can do a good enough eye exam to diagnose a retinal tear, but not totally sure of their scope of practice.

 

[bmwquay]

As a general rule, don’t get medical advice on TERB. But with potential vision threatening symptoms, see a professional and don’t try to self diagnose, or listen to random folks on the net. You are doing the right thing getting seen asap.

This community actually got me to call my optometrist pronto. I think otherwise I would have been in denial.

 

[massman]

This community actually got me to call my optometrist pronto. I think otherwise I would have been in denial.

Good point. I guess I’d modify my advice to say take any advice on a random site like TERB that tries to minimize, or specifically diagnose your symptoms and / or suggest treatment with a lot of suspicion. There may be some doctors here, but most of us are just average guys who know very little about medical stuff, and the 0.01% of TERB members that are in medicine, none are signing their name on your file and taking responsibility for your health if shit goes wrong. I’m glad you have taken the conservative advice to play it safe and get seen asap, especially when it’s your eyes.

 

[Darts]

Last few weeks I found that my breathing is obstructed when I'm falling asleep. I may have sleep apnea. I could very well have had t.i.a. as well. A stroke that lasts only a few minutes due to lack of oxygen to the brain when I'm sleeping. Now I'm very concerned.

I was in the hospital last Fall 24/7 for several days for a battery of tests.

One test I had to wear a heart monitor 24/7. Maybe that is something you can look into. Given the stress on our health care system you might have to convince a hospital to do the test.

BTW: On one of the nights I woke up in the middle of the night and this young nurse was standing by my bedside with a huge knife. Ok, I'm kidding about the huge knife.

 

[glamphotographer]

Thanks for this information. So for 40 straight days you had to lie down a certain way? That would be another concern of mine since I feel I have sleep apnea. Obstructed breathing when I sleep. Intending to start a thread on sleep apnea.

Yes, I had to position my head so that the gas bubble hold the retina in place and then rotate. After 4-6 hours of lying down, I can get up for an hour to eat and go to the bathroom, then back to lying in position. I could not lie on my back.

 

[glamphotographer]

Good point. I guess I’d modify my advice to say take any advice on a random site like TERB that tries to minimize, or specifically diagnose your symptoms and / or suggest treatment with a lot of suspicion. There may be some doctors here, but most of us are just average guys who know very little about medical stuff, and the 0.01% of TERB members that are in medicine, none are signing their name on your file and taking responsibility for your health if shit goes wrong. I’m glad you have taken the conservative advice to play it safe and get seen asap, especially when it’s your eyes.

Some advice from a guy who experienced similar things as me and a couple of board members.

 

[GameBoy27]

Thank you for this. This is exactly what I was experiencing 2 or 3 times a year for the last 3 years or so without the migraine headache though.

I get them once in a while too, without the headache.

I would still see your GP who can refer you to a specialist if required. If you're seeing what your described, I'd show your doctor the video to better explain what you're experiencing. My money is on an ocular migraine.

 

[stinkynuts]

So what was the verdict?

 

[bmwquay]

So what was the verdict?

Just got back from the optometrist. She said everything is fine. No tears. Not even in the vitreous so no PVD. Eye pressure is 16 also normal. The only thing she found was dry eyes so she sold me a Bruder Eye Compress for heat treatment. The floaters she says is protein or collagen (I can't recall exactly) clumping together. Nothing can be done. She did say that if I experiencce bright lights in future to see her immediately that are distinct from visual auras. The bright lights she says I will know if I see them and do not go away like visual auras do. They are distinctly different from visual auras.

 

[bmwquay]

I get them once in a while too, without the headache.

I would still see your GP who can refer you to a specialist if required. If you're seeing what your described, I'd show your doctor the video to better explain what you're experiencing. My money is on an ocular migraine.

Are you seeing this in both eye or just one eye? For me I'm only seeing it in the one eye. The same eye that I'm now seeing floater.

 

[GameBoy27]

Are you seeing this in both eye or just one eye? For me I'm only seeing it in the one eye. The same eye that I'm now seeing floater.

I believe I would get them in both eyes. My guess is it's not related to your floaters.

 

[trm]

Do not ask for medical advice on this forum. We do not have the knowledge. As a diabetic I get an eye exam from an ophthalmologist once a year. She always tell me that if I have floaters to call her immediately and she will see me ASAP. They can be serious and if untreated can lead to blindness.