Stick/Fiber-like floaters, clouds, etc.

[AnnaE]

I have the same symptoms as Russell 903. I saw the doctor last Monday and five weeks ago about them, and he said they were "vitreos changes." But they have changed since last Monday; the stick/fibre-like floaters are more numerous and more lit up. Also.I see more stationary, faint lights, and more clouds. I can hardly read on the computer. I thought not being able to read well  was from my left eye (I have lost most of the vision in my left eye: multiple retina surgeries) but Russell's posting and the Dr'.s answer make me aware that these changes in my right eye should be looked at. I made an appointment for Friday.

I am myopic, have lattice and detached retinas are in the family.

I hope my right eye is OK. The postings I read today have really taught me the importance of ongoing education about my eye.

I hope Russell is better, too.

[AnnaE]

I have lost most of the vision in my left eye, from detached retina and 5 surgeries; I am glad to see floaters; I cannot risk surgery in my right eye. Please don't recommend surgery to everyone.

[chemochick]

You have to go to the following websites.
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the best resource You'll find on what is going on with us.
I had the laser surgery by Dr. karickhoff in 2004 and it changed my life !
The "floaters" completely  disintegrated. They are all gone, however, I still see "clouds" and  what I call " wrinkles" .
When you have PVD, think of it like a bubble gum  bubble  deflating. If you take the bublble away from your mouth, there is a hole where you blew in the air. Then you start to see the outside of the bubble gum wrinkle. ( Youv'e all done this before right? Blew a gigantic bubble with bubble gum when you were a kid and then held it out to look at? ) The hole where you belw in the air is called a "weiss ring"  is the edge of the hole ( outside rim) of where the eyeball attached to the back of your eye., and is now detached.  It sounds horrible, but PVD is a normal finding in people over age 50. The "wrinkles" I see are the folds of  the outside caved in "bubble" ( wrinkled eyeball ) . They will never go away because you can't re-inflate a the  bubblee (eyeball.). Anyway, The "surgery " was painless and quick. I had it done in both eyes. I still have to shift my eyes from side to side to see some very clear details of things like fine print on my computer screen, but now all the numerous  dark floaters are completely gone! As far as clear vision like I used to have before PVD happened,  The "hole" inside the weiss ring is the only completely clear space in my vision. I have to shift my eyes to "see" through it.
The best way to see this in your own eyes are to find someone who has a light microscope. Look in it with no slide on it and you will see what I am talking about.

[AnnaE]

Saw doc#3 Friday. Even though my sticks/clouds/non-flashing lights/rivers have increased, much like Russell's--I have no tears. My eye has been 360 and other lasedered at least 3 times. This is my "good" eye. I cannot see out of the other much--5 retina surgeries.

The retinologist I saw is good, very professional and accurate.

Russell903, I think you saw my reference to the doc in Wikipedia.

I told the doc yesterday that I had no complaint about floaters, as long as my retina was OK. Your floaters could be more bothersome, of course.

not-really-nancygrace

[russell903]

I truly hope the two of you find some relief from what I think is a very serious, and life altering condition-floaters.  Most doctors make light of the condition, because they are adverse to any treatments such as vitrectomy.  
In my case, I often cannot tell if it's the vitreous problem or dry eye, or a combination of both-but often, I interpret the problem to be something related to the retina or optic nerve.  No matter what eye doctors I've seen, and I've seen some very famous ones, all waffle on whats causing my continued visual decline.  All say it's 'just the vitreous', or 'it's just dry eye'.  Meanwhile, the daily tortures continue.  We all need a clinic or university hospital that specializes in this vitreous issue.  Anybody out there know of one?  Only one I heard about was at Duke University, Dr. Bruce McCuen II, and his research work in treatment of floaters with vitreolysis.  I sent him a letter, and tried calling his office, but no answer.  Maybe if I said my name was Trump, or M. Jordan I'd have received a response.  
I'll keep looking for that magic relief and if you find any thing, please keep this fellow tortured soul in mind.  Russell903  

[doobie07]

Thank you so much for that. The differential diagnosis for me is some kind of migraine variant. I just wish i could know for sure what I am dealing with, then I could get some peace of mind (which is sadly lacking at the moment.)

[AnnaE]

My doctor wrote vitreos syneresis also. I think it refers to the gel/water separating within the vitreous. The lights look like bubbles. I have noticed them for about five weeks straight. They do not flash. There are what appear to be shadowy lakes/rivers that separate to reveal an area of light. They seem to be about 1/-14" in diameter

Syneresis precedes PVD, which is when the retina can tear. Posterior vistreous detachment, or PVD, is the stage at which my left retina tore. During PVD, one sees flashes of light. One should watch for swirling dots at this point, and see a doctor immediately if these dots appear.

There are other causes of retinal detachment.

[doobie07]

nancy, what do the faint stationary lights look like? are they transient or permanent? how big are they? what about the clouds? are they stationary too or more like floaters?
sorry for all the questions, i'm just trying to figure out what's going on with my eyes.
the doctor said it was likely "vitreous syneresis" but my symptoms of stationary spots doesn't seem to fit.