Floaters even with my eyes closed.

[JaniceLKJ]

I have had intense floaters since I was 12 years old. I am now 43 and my floaters seem to get more annoying with each paasing year. At this point some of my floaters are so intense that I even see them when I close my eyes! My eye exam was fine and I was told nothing could really be done. But is it really normal to have floaters with my eyes closed? It's like I have no escape.

Thanks.

[Sodaette]

I wanted to post this in the other forum but received a message that they reached their limit of posts for the day (????), so I'll post it here. I have M.S. and have been having a lot of weird vision problems. I've been to three opthamologists, one neuro-opthamologist, two neurologists, two optometrists, numerous additional optometrists (or whatever it is they do) that work for the opthamologists by doing the work-up prior to seeing the opthamologist, and a number of students and interns of optometry. I still have no idea what is going on.
One of my vision mysteries seems to be solved. I have an accomodation disorder and they found the reason for that and I'm now undergoing therapy to, hopefully, correct it.
The other symptoms are more difficult to understand. Off and on for over two years now, I see something in my right eye. It began as what looked like an after-effect from looking at a light or the TV but eventually morphed into a grey ring encircling the light.
The size and shape changes, the object appears smaller when I'm near a light colored wall, larger when standing further away. I see it mainly when I blink or open my eyes but also when I move my eyes side to side or up and down.
I can see it when my eyes are closed if I'm facing the sun coming in the window or a well lit room and if I squeeze my eyes together as if I were blinking (while keeping them closed)
I was told it's a floater but I've never been convinced that that's what it is. And if floaters can't be seen with eyes closed, then I (and I guess my doctors) don't know what it is.
I also see:
~ flashes of often bright rings of light when I have my eyes open or closed and am in the dark but sometimes they're milky looking circles. They fade after moving my eyes a while, only to reappear a few minutes later.
~ "splotches" of lightness with some grey (but not lights), often looking like stacked multiple semi-rings of lightness when looking off to my side and moving my head or when looking forward and I move my eyes back and forth. I think they're the same bright rings of light I'm seeing in the dark.

I've been told I have everything from Optic Neuritis (I don't) to the MS is causing this, to floaters to being too sensitive the normal things one commonly sees.

I'm scheduled for another MRI for the MS in December and this time they're going to include the orbits.
Anyone have a suggestion as to what's wrong with me?

[Megan Wren Napa]

Oops. I see from a more detailed examination of this site that comments like mine above make people kind of cranky. I'll assume that these symptoms don't mean anything but are just my private light show. Sorry.

[Megan Wren Napa]

Here is the topic I have been questing after! But alas, it seems that all "eyes closed" questions are rebuffed as being not adequately about floaters. I see white blobs with my eyes closed which get smaller then disintegrate before being replaced with a new white shape. Is this/what is photostress? Or is this a neurological/visual cortex problem rather than an opthalmological one? Anyone else see this?

[Ag-i-doc]

"I also have a lot of floaters. I am able to, when looking up at the sky, 'focus' for a second on my floaters, and can see them as stringy, clear hair like particles and dots. Especially when squinting. The dark floaters that I have I can see as the same thing, just clumped together."

YES.  those are floaters.

"When I close my eyes in Bright light, I can also see one of my floaters."

NO.  that is not a floater.

"ONLY the one that has clumped together and is very dark with my eyes open. If it's not a floater I'm seeing, what could it be?"

AFTER-IMAGE or "photostress"

"Is there anything else besides floaters that can float around in your line of sight? Thanks."

not really

[dsnygrl]

I also have a lot of floaters. I am able to, when looking up at the sky, 'focus' for a second on my floaters, and can see them as stringy, clear hair like particles and dots. Especially when squinting. The dark floaters that I have I can see as the same thing, just clumped together.  When I close my eyes in Bright light, I can also see one of my floaters. ONLY the one that has clumped together and is very dark with my eyes open.  If it's not a floater I'm seeing, what could it be? When I've been able to focus on it with my eye open, it's definitely those same stringy things literally 'clumped' together. Just curious. Is there anything else besides floaters that can float around in your line of sight? Thanks.

[K-D]

I sustained a PVD 2 months ago and have floaters and a Weiss's ring.  I also can see the exact Weiss's ring when I close my eyes, that I see when my eyes are open.

[K-D]

Dr. Prince, I understand that floaters are due to shadows produced when vitrous floats in front of the retina.  But since my PVD,  I have a gel like substance that crosses my line of vision that is not dark. It blurs my vision when I look up.  Is it possible that this too may fall below my line of vision?  Why is it not dark like the other floaters and Weiss's ring?  It is actually more disturbing than the shadows.

[K-D]

Thanks much!

[Ag-i-doc]

janice:

is this "janicea"?

no.  what you are seeing with your eyes closed are *not* "floaters".  no floater can be seen by any human with their eyes closed...thats impossible.  whatever you "see" with your eyes closed IS NOT a floater.  i dont know what else to tell you.  those are not floaters, even if you believe them to be.  the reason you've "never heard of anyone seeing them with closed eyes" is because they don't.

K-D:  

same goes for you.  whatever you "see" when your eyes are SHUT *IS NOT* a floater.  its not.  i mean i guess you could be seeing an after-image of your weiss ring, but that would only last for like 3 seconds after shutting your eyes.

"Is it possible that this too may fall below my line of vision?"

yes

"Why is it not dark like the other floaters and Weiss's ring?"

floaters come in all shades of grey/brown.  from nearly clear to nearly black.

[JaniceLKJ]

What I am seeing are floaters because I see them with my eyes open, and when I close them, they are still there...the exact same floaters. Right now I've had a very dark floater for the past month that is visible both with my eyes open and closed. I have just never heard of anyone seeing them with closed eyes...I guess I have a unique case. My only true escape from them is to be in total darkness.

[Ag-i-doc]

http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/eyequack.html

[Ag-i-doc]

the website the last poster mentioned (rebuildyourvision.com) is a form of the "Bates Method", which is nearly 100 years old, has been repeatedly debunked by clinical studies, and is based in early 1900's science that was incorrect.  its pretty much BS IMO to put it mildly.  "fringe" eyecare at best.  some of the suggested "exercises" are actually damaging you your eyesight...like "sunning" (which is basically staring at the sun!).  i personally would not recommend anyone do that.

http://www.allaboutvision.com/buysmart/see_clearly.htm

[Kindachi]

http://www.noeyefloaters.com/
Go to this website and read about the book that helps you get rid of floaters (I have never buy it), but you can take a chance:) AND go to:

www.rebuildyourvision.com    
It claims to help you to GET RID OF nearsightedness(any degree), farsightedness, astigmatism, old age vision, etc.

When you have floaters in your vision, just shift your eyes up, down, side ways for couple of seconds it will gone or less disturbance.

I hope that helps

[Forum-OD-MP]

what you see with your eyes closed are not floaters.  the swirling colors/etc when your eyes are closed are not only not "floaters", they are also totally normal and literally everyone "sees" them when they close their eyes.  thats not a floater.  a true vitrealy floater can only be seen with your eyes open.