Floaters after eye dilation

The day after getting an eye dilation exam, I noticed a large cobweb floater in one of my eyes.  I didn't connect the two at first until I realized it happened consistently.  I now have large cobweb floaters in both of my eyes that keep getting bigger with each exam ... it's been about 8 years since my first dilation exam and they are not getting any better.  Has anyone heard of this before?  My eye doctors recommend that I keep getting the exams but I'm worried.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

It's not because of the dilation. It's because you are 8 years older. Use the search feature and read about floaters. More as we get older
JCH MD

[kukulski]

I understand that floaters increase with age (I've read about a hundred articles that all pretty much say the same thing) ... but I also know that at age 24 I walked in for my first eye exam with no floaters.  The next day, this stringy black mass appeared in my left eye ... extending pretty much from the top of my peripheral vision to the bottom.  At the time, I connected it more to the eye doctor making some mistake and not the eye exam so I stopped going there.  Several years later (and no new floaters), I found another eye doctor and had another eye exam and the next day a long string appeared in my right eye ... that is when I realized that it was not the doctor but something about the exam.  All the doubt I had that this might just be a weird coincidence was cleared when I scheduled another exam with a specialist and had the floaters appear again.  I'm just trying to figure out the connection between the two but can't find the answer ... I've found a few similar posts but with no answers.  I know the exams are important, but at this rate, I won't be able to see well enough to drive when I'm 35.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

You certainly can believe what you wish but none of the medications used for dilation cause floaters.  

JCH MD

[chipstrios1]

I too developed eye floaters after my first exam as well. Never had any problems till now with my eyes. I can see if if was only only one eye, but my floaters developed in both eyes at the same time after my first ever eye exam ever. I'm 29 years old. It is depressing. I can also see if I noticed a sudden increase in them but no, they just appeared right after my exam.

[GaryV]

I found this thread after doing a search, because I just had my eyes dilated during an exam yesterday and today I'm noticing floaters that were never there before. I'm quite positive that it's from the exam. I'm over 40 years old - and it would be quite a coincidence that in my nearly 15,000 days of life here on this earth, that floaters appear the day after my exam.

[punatiesgirl]

I developed floaters and extreme light sensitivity 24 hrs after my first eye exam in 20
years. I know it's no coincidence and I resent the arrogance of doctors who
say this is impossible. I went for the exam because of entopion.
a condition that can cause dry irritation. Now I have 2 new problems I never
had before

[lizbethjeane]

I think perhaps it is the combination of dilation and the extremely bright light used to examine the eyes that is the cause.  The first time both were done was to determine the cause of a tiny black spot - the Dr. said it was a vitreous detachment.  The next day, I had lines in both eyes.  I had not had anything in the right eye before the exam.  I thought it was a coincidence so went for the same exam the following 2 years.  Each time - the NEXT day I had almost double the lines/dots in both eyes.  This past one was the worst.  My right eye is full of squiggly lines and dots.  It is VERY difficult to focus around them and I am a reading teacher!  I will not have this exam again.  I cannot afford to lose the little areas of unobstructed vision I have left.  I am extremely near-sighted and also farsighted.

[letty275]

7 years ago I had an eye exam.   On my way home, the right eye burned and felt like it was scratched..  I went back for a follow up visit but was told they could find nothing on the eye then  give me drops. It went away in a few weeks but felt terrible.

2 weeks ago I decided to go for an exam (different doctor) he asked me if I had floaters which I then asked, " what are they"  Exam completed and was told my eyes are healthy.  Tthe next day I had a gray shadow which was very bothersome.  I went back to the doctor who told me it was a floater and there is nothing you can do because it is age related. I did not have this before my eye exam.  Then next day the right eye developed black squiggly lines.  I can not believe this is due to age but how can one prove this without a medical experience.

[jaideepg]

The same thing has happened to me.  in july 2011 had no floaters, had the eyes dialted.  asked to come back 2 weeks later due to dry eye issues, and bam floaters started appearing.  Then in Jan 2012 2 weeks after my eye appt again more floaters.  it seems right after my eyes get dialted floaters have been appearing.  

[jaideepg]

Also when you tell a doctor such as the guy in this forum in the above posts, they don't believe you but they don't know EVERYTHING.  

There are so many things people complain about and doctors think they know 100% but they don't.  Just because it doesn't happen to everyone it may happen to 2% of the population for example.  

Doctors should start taking these complaints into account and see if they can find a trend of it happening to people rather than bashing them.