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Eye Care Archive (Expert Forum)
Floaters, mucous-y film, and pressure in left eyeball
Our Ask A Doctor Ophthalmology Forum is where you can post your question and receive a personal answer from physicians affiliated with the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Floaters, mucous-y film, and pressure in left eyeball
by AquaSF, Feb 19, 2007 12:00AM
My left eye has been causing me problems over the years but more recently on a regular basis. ..it feels as if when i look right and then look left, it is as if there is a thin film of mucous over my eye --it's not blocking my vision but it is annoying. Additionally, i have pain to the left of my eyeball and one dark floater that if i focus on both, i will see them. I also noticed that the pressure in my eye is somehow related to my teeth grinding because when i massage the left side of my jaw, it tends to alleviate the pain in my eyeball as well. .. Over the years, i've seen 3 or 4 ophthalmologists who have all told me that it's dry eye, while one feels that it is probably something coming from my make-up which i can't understand since it happens even when i'm not wearing any. I'm wondering what these floaters are, this film mucousy- thing that i can see floating away (as if i can't catch up with it but i see that it is there) and are these at all symptoms of glaucoma or anything serious. I was told that my eye pressure is fine (i'm taking a field of vision test this week), but all this is very annoying and creating anxiety. .i am also very nearsighted and wear glasses.. any advice i completely appreciate. .thank you so much!
Doctor's Answer
by Forum-OD-MP, Feb 20, 2007 12:00AM
'it feels as if when i look right and then look left, it is as if there is a thin film of mucous over my eye'
likely floater, even if it does not fit the traditional 'mold' of floaters...
'Additionally, i have pain to the left of my eyeball and one dark floater that if i focus on both, i will see them'
dont know about the pain. the floaters are not really fixable.
'I also noticed that the pressure in my eye is somehow related to my teeth grinding because when i massage the left side of my jaw, it tends to alleviate the pain in my eyeball as well. .. Over the years, i've seen 3 or 4 ophthalmologists who have all told me that it's dry eye, while one feels that it is probably something coming from my make-up which i can't understand since it happens even when i'm not wearing any.'
i seriously, seriously doubt that any of those complaints are from either 'dry eye' or 'make-up'. but i have no further explanation or comment that would help.
'and are these at all symptoms of glaucoma or anything serious'
NO. likely floaters...definitely NOT symptoms of glaucoma. not even close.
likely floater, even if it does not fit the traditional 'mold' of floaters...
'Additionally, i have pain to the left of my eyeball and one dark floater that if i focus on both, i will see them'
dont know about the pain. the floaters are not really fixable.
'I also noticed that the pressure in my eye is somehow related to my teeth grinding because when i massage the left side of my jaw, it tends to alleviate the pain in my eyeball as well. .. Over the years, i've seen 3 or 4 ophthalmologists who have all told me that it's dry eye, while one feels that it is probably something coming from my make-up which i can't understand since it happens even when i'm not wearing any.'
i seriously, seriously doubt that any of those complaints are from either 'dry eye' or 'make-up'. but i have no further explanation or comment that would help.
'and are these at all symptoms of glaucoma or anything serious'
NO. likely floaters...definitely NOT symptoms of glaucoma. not even close.
this sounds very similar to what I have ... or had.... years ago.... it got worse..... and I still haven't figured it out... and I still currently am trying to figure it out.... I was where you are.... about 30 years ago.... I'm 50 now... would have been about 20 then......... and in college..... when I first discovered or became aware of a problem with my TMJ (temporo-mandibular joint..... jaw joint ) ... grinding teeth .... the floaters in my eye...... my problem is on my right side...... I'll give you a warning here..... AVOID SURGERY ON YOUR JAW IF YOU CAN .... use the approach of splints to get your jaw to relax..... and getting you teeth surfaces so that they come together without gaps..... which will help your jaw to stop being in stress.... and rest your eyes when they need it... and your jaw.... the floaters are from eye strain...... a sign of retinal detachment.... which will heal.... if you stop stressing your eyes....... I had surgery on my jaw when I was 20 ..... and still had the eye problem ..... and jaw joint problem...... the joint got worse and worse after that ... and 5 years ago I finally had jaw surgery again.... after thourough research.... by a surgeon named Mark Piper in St. Petersburg Florida.... a fat graph implant disk replacement surgery......
but even so still have this right eye problem... where my right eye feels like it pulls toward my right jaw....... I think it is more about the "Facial Nerve" than an eye problem... as I've seen optho-neurologist... who didn't find an eye problem.... and from what I see ... the Facial Nerve is connected to both the Eye and the Ear....... I'm on this Forum to see if anyone can help me with that...........