Trying to get rid of eye floaters...anyone? anyone?

[Shanti_Mom]

I can hardly see right now as my eyes are pretty blurry!

I've had eye floaters for about a year now. They were officially diagnosed by an opthamologist (sp?) last August. He said there is literally nothing I can do for them, unless I want to have invasive eye surgery that is rarely done for such things. So, he said I need to learn to live with them and hopefully they'll get better or my mind will just block them out. Yah, right! :

So, I've put up with them, but I'm sick of them. They are highly distracting, especially in certain lights and when I'm reading (which I do a lot of!).

I read on curezone.com that someone there used an eyebright eyewash, and most of her floaters either went away or were diminished.

My eyebright herbs just came this week and this is my fourth day of making the tea and washing my eyes out with it, using an eye cup from the pharmacy. A couple of nights I've actually drank what was left of the tea after using the initial part for the washes. Supposedly its best to drink the tea and use it in the eyes. For the most part, my eyes have felt fantastic after each eye wash. I haven't noticed a significant difference with the floaters---yet---I'm still hopeful---but there are times when my vision seems exceptionally clear.

Tonight, however, my eyes feel really red and irritated. And there is goopy junk coming out too. I re-read the thread on curezone and that person said she had eye goop as well, on day 6. Hopefully this will be cleared up by morning because I have a lunch appointment with friends tomorrow! lol!

After all that...I'm wondering, does ANYONE here have any experience at all in getting rid of these pesky eye floaters? I'd love to know that I'm on the right path (with the herbs), or if there is anything else I should be doing. I think I'm going to start a cleanse this weekend (using some Isagenix products my neighbor gave me), and want to do juicing and raw foods as much as possible. I've read that eye stuff like this can be due to an overworked liver.

TIA for any help or thoughts!

ETA: I believe that my floaters came on last year when I was undergoing an extremely stressful time of life...horrid insomnia for two weeks straight, undiagnosed health concerns, fear of a surgery that I had (a breast reduction, exactly one year ago today)....I think somehow that all the combined stress had a negative effect on my eyes.

[ASusan]

I'm sorry yours are so bad. I've had floaters since mid-adolescence (about 20+ years). They have gotten a little worse over the years. I have never heard that there is anything you can do about them. Mine are most noticable in bright sunshine.

Keep us updated on your treatment.

[CarrieMF]

An eyewash is NOT going to get rid of floaters. They are caused by the vitrous gel/fluid in your eyes falling. The floaters are chunks of it & will remain until the gel has fallen enough that it is no longer in the line of sight. It is quite common in nearsighted people as our eyes are elongated & it pulls the gel causing it to fall. It also puts us at risk of detached retina.

If the person on the website had hers go away from doing an eyewash then it was becuase she had dust in the lubrication stuff over the eye.

[perl]

Oh, interesting about the nearsightedness being a contributing factor.

Sorry, OP, I don't have any recommendations. Just commiseration. It really is distracting, esp when trying to read or being outside (looking at the sky is brutal - it seems to make all the floaters come out!)

I read online once about a controversial laser therapy for severe floaters. I don't think the jury's out on the treatment and not many doctors do it. Sure would be nice to get rid of them, though.

[Starr]

I am having terrible eye problems and what is happening is that my cornea is shredding into strips, slowly, and that is why I am getting eye floaters. Some days they are terrible. Try getting them right on your lower lid and then taking a tissue and gently touch them, this works good. I'd get it checked out soon if they don't go away.

[Metasequoia]

Ugh, I've had floaters forever it seems but they got significantly worse after I had Ds (Dc3.)
I was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue which includes low blood pressure & my ND said that he has other adrenal patients with floaters - but I think he just says that to ease my anxieties about it being something else.

I read on a forum that one woman's doctor told her it was from low blood presure, that there wasn't enough pressure to pump enough blood to the eyes. Maybe, maybe not.

My last thought is that it has to do with hormones. I have seen many women say that they developed floaters either late in pg or right after birth. My hormones are almost non-existant - I have almost no estrogen, no cortisol, very little DHEA, barely any progesterone & even my testosterone is low. I'm bfing Ds (a lot) every few hours around the clock. I'm really hoping that in my case it's hormones & that they'll go away when I get my cycles back.

Hugs, floaters suck!

[Metasequoia]

SInce I just read 2 threads about Lyme, I had to pop back & throw that out there - floaters are a symptom of Lyme Disease - just FYI.

[A&A]

I have eye floaters (detached vitrius) as well. I have glasses with glare-reduction on them and that has made a big difference.

If your eyes are blurry, please get checked out ASAP. Floaters do put you at higher risk for a detached retina.

Also I have to read in (not too bright) natural light or the floaters bother me while reading, as well.

[sedalbj]

I have had floaters since maybe age 15, and am extremely nearsighted. I was nervous they would get worse after my Lasik, but so far so good, they may be a little better. My eye guy said there wasn't any thing but possible surgery to fix them. I am subbing to the thread to see what else everyone says! I do have below normal BP but not too low, hmmm...

[Shanti_Mom]

Thanks, all, for your replies! Its good to know that I'm not alone! I've been doing the eyewash anywhere from 1-3 times a day for a week now. For the most part, it has felt really good on my eyes. On the 4th night, my eyes started gooping and got a bit crusty as a slept. That went away and hasn't happened since. I honestly think it was like a bit of a detox from my eyes, since it wasn't an infection and went away within hours. Very weird.

What's so strange though, is that sometimes it is like my floaters are non-existant. In fact, on Saturday night, I'd say they were nearly gone. Then, I haven't slept well for a couple nights and they are back again. That's what I don't get---how they can be nearly gone one day---and then back again another? It seems like when I'm really fatigued they are worse than usual.

I'm not going to give up hope about the eyewash, however. The girl that posted about it on curezone had floaters for 3 years, so I trust that they were indeed floaters and not just dust in her eyes' lubrication. I've never been told that I'm nearsighted (I have nearly perfect vision). I do, however, have adrenal fatigue and low thyroid issues. The adrenal fatigue was diagnosed a couple months before my eye floaters came on. Now there's an interesting theory....

[Demeter9]

I got rid of my floaters and flashs with the eyewash. I used the Dr. Christopher's wash with cayenne. I use castor oil as an eye drop.

I know that people think this is impossible, but it worked for me so I don't care.

[Xenogenesis]

I have floaters also. The cayenne wash sounds interesting. :

[Shanti_Mom]

Originally Posted by Demeter9

I got rid of my floaters and flashs with the eyewash. I used the Dr. Christopher's wash with cayenne. I use castor oil as an eye drop.

I know that people think this is impossible, but it worked for me so I don't care.

OK, I've seen that stuff recommended on the internet....but cayenne? That sounds a bit ouchy to me! How does it actually feel in the eyes?

Also, what does the castor oil do?

[lilsishomemade]

Sorry, mama! I've had floaters since I was a little girl, so I don't really even notice them anymore. The only time in my life I can remember them being a problem was when they first came on. If I actually stop and look for them, I see a ton, but otherwise I just look through them, I guess.

Hope you're able to find a solution!

[Pookietooth]

Mine seemed to get better when I went on an anti-candida diet. Not sure if they're related or my health just improved overall. Take care.

[ldsmom06]

Tea wash will NOT get rid of floaters!!! Are you nearsided by any chance?? It can be caused from the vitreous( gelatinous mass that fills the rear 2/3 of the eyeball) becoming like jelly( a natural aging proccess). You brain will sometimes block them out. You will notice them more if stressed or tired usaully. If you start to have flashes call your ophthalmologist asap! especially if you have a dark spot that doesn't go away that could mean a retinal detachment. I worked at a retina practice before I had my ds. It could also mean an inflamation inside your eye. So many things actually could cause them!!! We saw that kind of stuff everyday!!! The wash could just irritate your eye and possibly cause an infection and burn. Floaters are inside your eye. A wash cannot go through your eye to get to them. You could harm your cornea.

[2busy2clean]

Originally Posted by Metasequoia

SInce I just read 2 threads about Lyme, I had to pop back & throw that out there - floaters are a symptom of Lyme Disease - just FYI.

Just wanted to say that the two times I had major visual disturbances caused by lyme, it was quite the interesting light show! Threads in bright colors --neonish - and squiggly. Almost worth the admission to see it.

[Metasequoia]

Originally Posted by Shanti_Mom

I do, however, have adrenal fatigue and low thyroid issues. The adrenal fatigue was diagnosed a couple months before my eye floaters came on. Now there's an interesting theory....

Oooo, veeeery interesting, especially since I'd wager that more people suffer from some degree of adrenal fatigue than not. I'll post this inquiry in the adrenal thread...

[Demeter9]

Sorry, I missed this. Yes, the cayenne is intense.

The castor oil is very soothing in the eyes. I find it works really well for dry eyes. I suspect that it helps move some of the inflammation out of the tissues around the eyes, by prodding the lymph system. Which helps improve blood flow.

[Shanti_Mom]

Hey...I've started taking a whole foods class with a Master Herbalist and his wife. Last night I asked him if he knows any tricks for getting ride of eye floaters. He recommended the Dr. Christopher's Eyewash, or the Dr. Schultz (sp?) formula. I know that our local health food store carried the Dr. Christopher's one, so I'm going to go pick that up today. He also said that the eyebright wash alone isn't going to help, as it needs to have the other herbs in it in order to be fully beneficial. I'll probably go ahead and make the eyebright tea to drink, so that I'll be doing something internal as well (don't want to waste it since I did just pay for it!)

I'll let you know what happens!