I'm 22 with floaters in both eyes, what can I do? Help!!!!

[arich5]

Hi everyone,

I just recently turned 22. I remember being little and seeing the floater in my right eye that I still have, only now I see it more often. I remember not wanting to go on computers, anything with bright lights, etc. when I was little (11-14?) due to the fact that I would always catch a glimpse of this floater. At the time I didn't know what it was... later in life I developed bad chronic anxiety since I was about 15. Over the past year or two I've noticed more floaters have been floating into my vision. I have two big ones in both eyes. It makes me very anxious, I've been to the eye doctor about 5 times in the last year and had my eyes dilated and every test I can think of done and they said my eyes are perfectly healthy. I also have 20/20 vision. For some reason over the past year I've been so focused on my eyes and floaters and have a irrational thought that I'm going to go blind, which is my worst fear. I've read about the surgeries but also how they can have huge complications so I didn't really want to do that... I live a healthy life, I work at a fitness clinic, eat healthy 85% of the time and have no other health issues i know of. I do cardio at least once or twice a week and I just started to weight train. The only medication I'm on is Ocella birth control & just recently (past 3 months?) generic zoloft which has helped with anxiety some but not 100%...

I was wondering if anyone had any advice to ease my anxiety about these or how to take my mind off of them... it's become all I can think about. I just want to live a normal life without worrying 24/7. :(

Please help. I'm desperate for answers. :(

[JohnHaganMD]

You have had 5 normal eye exams so unlike many of the people that post here you do not have something that threatens your vision. Floaters are common and generally not serious; by your age about 1 in 4 people have floaters. There is no safe, easy way to remove floaters. What is handicapping you is your anxiety. I hope the zoloft was prescribed by a psychiatrist. I suggest you discuss this with him/her. Also ask about Cognitive Behavior Therapy which greatly helps many anxious, depressed or OCD people.

[arich5]

Also forgot to add, I get ocular migraines every now and then confirmed by doctors.