Floaters, the vision of floating bodies (or flying flies)

By Cristiano Antonino On Jun 2, 2023

Floaters, also known as “flying flies”, consist of the vision of floating bodies caused by problems with the vitreous humor, the area of the eye between the retina and the lens

Within the visual field of those suffering from this condition there are bodies that can take the form of points, shadows, flies and threads capable of creating discomfort or being precursors of more serious pathologies.

Floaters occur naturally or as a result of degenerative phenomena of the vitreous body (contained in the vitreous chamber inside the eye)

The name of Miodesopsie comes from the Greek, with òpsis meaning “vision” and myōdes meaning “like flies”. In fact, this pathology consists in seeing forms similar to flies.

The main symptoms of floaters are represented precisely by these semi-transparent forms which can lead to some difficulties in daily life.

Floaters occur naturally or as a result of degenerative phenomena of the vitreous body (contained in the vitreous chamber inside the eye).

Many people suffer from it and even if it is not to be considered a real pathology, they can be precursors of more serious conditions, especially if they suddenly and progressively increase.

What are the symptoms

The main symptom of floaters is, as already mentioned, the appearance of shapes and floaters inside the eyes.

The shapes and types of spots perceived by the patient suffering from this pathology can be circles, lines, cobwebs, flies, dots, circles and much more.

The ideal conditions for seeing them involve a homogeneous and very bright surface, such as a clear sky, a light wall, a sheet or white snow, because these shadows are projected with the light that strikes the retina of the eye.

Causes of floaters

The causes of floaters are many, but the characteristic shapes and shadows of this condition appear due to a specific process.

To understand this procedure, it is first necessary to investigate the composition of the eye and specifically the vitreous body, the area that is most affected by this pathology.

The vitreous body is the area between the lens of the eye and the retina.

The body is composed of a material, in fact, called vitreous humor.

This is 99% made up of water while the remaining 1% is made up of other substances: hyaluronic acid, collagen, soluble proteins, sugars, vitreous fibrils and vitreous cells.

The vitreous body should be transparent and create an image when an object is hit by light that is mirrored on the retina.

Although this area is usually therefore transparent, there are exceptions and imperfections that can lead to fragments of the collagen fibers.

These fragments affecting the vitreous fibrils then create the symptoms of floaters, such as shadows and dots on the retina.

These shapes are therefore caused by the projection of the shadow of these filaments which are located inside the liquid, therefore of the vitreous humor.

This phenomenon is particularly visible when you look at an object struck by light or when, keeping your head in the same position, you move your gaze up and down.

In the latter case there is a mixing of the vitreous humor which leads this phenomenon to manifest itself even more.

Risk factors

There are many causes of floaters but one is the most frequent: advancing age.

Over the years it is more probable that the liquid that makes up the vitreous will dehydrate and that the structure of collagen fibers will break down or be damaged, leading to the appearance of the first shadows.

For this reason, many patients who suffer from this pathology are those over the age of 50 and 60 and two out of three elderly people over the age of 70 show symptoms.

The deterioration of the gelatinous component of the eye leads the fragments to create shadows, especially if you look at light surfaces such as a sheet of paper.

Floaters are often present in subjects suffering from myopia and should be taken into greater consideration since in these subjects they can more frequently be precursors of more serious problems at the level of the retina.

Among the other risk factors of floaters are

intense sporting activity
exposure to the sun or heat sources for a long time
poor hydration
trauma and blows to the head following accidents or fights
problems related to metabolism and eating disorders

How to make the diagnosis

The first way to diagnose floaters or other eye diseases is to go to your general practitioner.

Thanks to a first visit, the doctor will in fact be able to understand which is the best solution and above all establish the seriousness of the situation, in order to also provide a prescription for an emergency visit to the hospital or to a specialized ophthalmologist.

Both your general practitioner and a specialist will then take a more in-depth medical history.

For example, questions may be asked about the patient’s or family’s vision problems, previous illnesses and any medications taken, the presence of cases in the family and many other details that will help the doctor identify the cause of these discomforts.

In the event of a sudden onset of this condition or progressive worsening, it is always necessary to carry out a complete eye examination, especially if there should also be additional symptoms such as the presence of “light flashes” (photopsia) or sudden amputation of the visual field.

The ophthalmologist will evaluate the state of the posterior segment of the eye and the integrity of the retina.

Risks and complications

In most cases this phenomenon occurs naturally with aging or with myopia.

In these cases, flying flies are not a concern and can be controlled with periodic visits to a specialized ophthalmologist.

In some cases, however, floaters can be associated with a posterior vitreous detachment, i.e. the separation of the vitreous from the retina to which it is normally attached.

This process can normally occur with age but in some cases in a traumatic way causing traction and possible lacerations of the retina.

It is therefore important to undergo an examination of the fundus in order to exclude this eventuality and the possible consequences.

In other cases floaters can be consequences of inflammatory pathologies of the retina and the vitreous body.

Therapies and remedies

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There are many treatments for floaters and natural remedies.

Surely the first way to cure this pathology is to prevent it with correct daily hydration, through periodic check-ups with an ophthalmologist, starting as early as 40 years of age.

In this way it will be possible to immediately identify the symptoms of floaters from the very beginning, especially if they are caused by ageing.

Furthermore, several studies have shown that a correct diet rich in antioxidants can prevent the appearance of these symptoms.

For example, a diet rich in beta-carotene, vitamin E, vitamin C, copper and zinc can reduce the likelihood of symptoms appearing where they are already present in one eye.

Other essential nutrients for the prevention of this disease are green vegetables, fresh fruit, omega-3 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

As already highlighted, hydration is fundamental: drinking lots of water and taking lots of mineral salts helps reduce the extent of this condition.

Floaters and surgery

The role of surgery is marginal and reserved for very severe cases and makes use of microsurgical techniques such as vitrectomy.

The operation consists in the total or partial removal of the vitreous humor using microprobes inserted inside the eyeball.

In the presence of voluminous central vitreous floaters distant from the retina and lens, parasurgery techniques can be used, i.e. the use of the YAG laser which has the purpose of fragmenting and thinning out any coarse vitreous fibrils occupying the optical axis.

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