Ocular Migraine Floater?

[emgscot]

I've had a large irregular black floater in my left eye for more than 2 years.  When I visited an opthalmologist, he said he could not see the floater and it was probably an ocular migraine floater and would go away.  I do have ocular migraines with zig-zag lights, prism-like vision, and even Alice in Wonderland Syndrome.  But when will this nuisance floater go away?  I have to do a lot of reading and it is a nuisance having to close one eye all the time.

[emgscot]

Thanks for your reply.  I had intended to find another doctor but now I'll do it sooner than later.  
I had a closed-head injury that made me lose control of my visual focus and I mistakenly thought that was called convergence insufficiency (wonder where I came up with that?).  Dr Compassion, who couldn't see my floater, literally waved his hand dismissively when I asked about the focus problem.  He said that it was either brain disease or damage but my eyes were fine.  Good thing I knew about the brain injury.

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

I love your decription of the ocular migraine. It sounds like you have both ocular migraines and at least one vitreous floater.  If you truly have to keep one eye closed all the time - that's doesn't sound like a run of the mill floater.  Something here doesn't add up.  If your floater is that bothersome - you would expect that the doctor would see it.  You should have it checked again - in a very thorough fashion.  If it is just a floater - they usually don't go away completely.  They often break into smaller pieces after several months and your brain may learn to forget about them after 6 months or so.  Your case is a little unusual.  I recommend a good recheck and possibly a second opinion.

Michael Kutryb, MD