Seeing a black spot

[Van_Diemen]

Dear Sir/madame,

I have this problem for over 6 months now and am really worried. I'm 21 years old and can see a small black spot in my left eye, I believe just beyond the optic disk (natural blind spot), it is not really central, but also doesn't seem really periperal either. I can see it when looking at the sky or when I'm reading. It is almost only really visible when I move my eyes. As soon as I start moving my eyes (especially when making large eye movements) the spot appears (colour: grey to black) and "fades out" within a second. The brighter the surrounding I'm in the larger the spot appears to be. Furthermore I have some floaters, but these are mostly transient and by far not as dark as the spot itself is. An eye docter has checked me mostly for glaucoma multiple times (glaucoma in quite present in my fathers family), then again these complains started 2 months after my last visit. Could anyone please tell me what this black spot can be?

[Van_Diemen]

Thank you for your swift reply, but can a large floater remain in the same place very time I see it? I furthermore have also some transparent spots (they look like floaters) in the centre of my vision, they are always in the same orientation and appear on the same place too.

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

My guess is that this is a large floater hovering in the vitreous in the area near optic nerve.  That fits your symptoms the best.  A blind spot from glaucoma is actually rarely visible to the patient unless you really do specific visual field mapping.  You should see your ophthalmologist since you have a new bothersome floater.

MJK MD