The vitreous is the gelatinous mass that fills the inside of the eye and maintains its volume. This vitreous is transparent, but it is not always uniform and will change over time.
Vitreous floaters are fibrillar elements that appear in the vitreous and are very present in most patients, in the form of black dots, commas, floaters moving with the gaze.
They are more numerous and more significant in myopic people because their vitreous is less homogeneous.
Age favors their presence, and we often see their increase when, after the age of 50, vitreous detachment occurs, which is a normal phenomenon.
The vitreous then detaches from its retinal attachments, which can lead to complications such as hemorrhage or retinal detachment
Read the article on retinal detachment.
Symptoms :
The patient suddenly presents before one eye images of spider webs and flying flies that move with the gaze.
This is either a new phenomenon or a sudden worsening of floaters that have been present for some time.
These floaters correspond to changes in the vitreous of the eye which sometimes tends to pull on the retina and cause it to detach.
Treatment by the Ophthalmologist must be rapid because a thorough ophthalmological examination using the 3-mirror Goldmann Glass allows the entire retina and mainly the retinal periphery to be explored.
It will help to distinguish between an isolated posterior vitreous detachment which is completely benign and a retinal tear or detachment which is of a completely different severity.
If peripheral retinal lesions are discovered (retinal holes, tears), photocoagulation treatment using an Argon laser is performed.
Evolution :
Often patients describe a reduction or even disappearance of floaters that can sediment in the lower vitreous and thus become almost invisible. The brain also participates, by neutralizing these parasitic images.
Treatment :
In France, we generally do not operate on these floaters, because we consider that there is too much risk of retinal detachment or complications.
Abroad, the Yag laser or even vitrectomy is used to remove these floaters. The authors seem satisfied with these practices.
Furthermore, it is recommended to drink enough water to limit dehydration of the vitreous and additional medications can significantly improve symptoms.
