Eye floaters are common visual disturbances, appearing as small specks or strands that drift across one’s field of vision. This article explores their nature and the connection between stress and how they are experienced.
What Are Eye Floaters?
Eye floaters are small, shadowy shapes that appear to move within your vision. They can look like dots, squiggly lines, or cobwebs, and are particularly noticeable against bright, plain backgrounds.
Floaters exist inside the eye, within the vitreous humor, a gel-like substance. As a person ages, collagen fibers in this gel can clump together. These clumps cast shadows on the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, which are then perceived as floaters.
The Link Between Stress and Floaters
Stress does not directly cause new eye floaters to form, but it can significantly influence how existing floaters are perceived. Heightened stress and anxiety can make individuals more aware of these visual disturbances, causing them to seem more noticeable or bothersome.
When stressed, the body’s nervous system becomes more sensitive, increasing awareness of sensations within the eyes. This can make existing floaters appear more prominent. Stress can also cause eye strain or light sensitivity, which may make floaters feel more intrusive.
There is no direct biological mechanism linking stress to the creation of new collagen clumps. However, stress’s impact on overall health and heightened sensory perception can amplify the experience of floaters. Managing stress can help reduce the bother caused by these visual phenomena.
Other Common Causes of Floaters
Most eye floaters are a natural part of aging. As the vitreous humor ages, it gradually liquefies and shrinks, which can lead to posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). This occurs when the vitreous gel pulls away from the retina, often resulting in new floaters.
Floaters can also arise from other conditions. Nearsightedness (myopia) can increase the likelihood of developing floaters, sometimes at a younger age. Eye inflammation or infection, such as uveitis, can cause inflammatory cells to accumulate in the vitreous, appearing as floaters.
Less common but more serious causes include bleeding within the eye from conditions like diabetic retinopathy or injury. A sudden increase in floaters can also signal a retinal tear or detachment.
When to Seek Medical Advice
While most eye floaters are harmless and do not require treatment, certain changes warrant immediate medical attention from an eye care professional. A sudden increase in the number or size of floaters, especially if accompanied by flashes of light, can indicate a serious underlying condition.
Other warning signs include a shadow or “curtain” obscuring part of your vision, or any loss of peripheral vision. These symptoms could point to a retinal tear or detachment, which require prompt evaluation. Regular eye exams are important for monitoring eye health.