What Does It Mean if You Have Floaters After Cataract Surgery?

Experiencing floaters after cataract surgery is fairly common. However, there are some instances where the appearance of the can be a symptom of something more serious that requires attention from your surgeon.

While floaters aren’t necessarily a cause for concern, it’s important to be aware of what they are and when to seek help 

Floaters After Cataract Surgery: everything you need to know

• What are floaters?
• The most common (and nothing to worry about) reasons for floaters after cataract surgery
• When floaters after cataract surgery are more serious

What are floaters?

Floaters are caused by tiny clumps of collagen floating around in the jelly-like fluid (vitreous) within the eye. You might see them as dots, squiggly lines, shadows, or web-like shapes. They get their name because they tend to float just out of your direct line of vision.

The most common (and nothing to worry about) reasons for floaters after cataract surgery

 One of the most common reasons they appear after cataract surgery is because you can see more clearly again. Once cataracts have formed to the stage that they’re ripe for removal, your vision is significantly compromised. Therefore, the floaters might have been there all the time—you just couldn’t see them.

When floaters after cataract surgery are more serious

More serious reasons for floaters after cataract surgery are retinal tears and detachment or a condition called posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). The latter is the most common of these.

• Retinal tears and detachment: The retina is a very thin layer of cells that lines the back of the eye. It’s responsible for transferring light that enters the eye to the optic nerve. If this gets a tear or begins to detach, floaters can appear. This is often accompanied by flashes of light. You might also experience a shadow intruding into your vision, usually from the top or corner of the eye. This is a medical emergency and requires immediate medical attention.
• Posterior vitreous detachment: This occurs when the vitreous begins to pull away from the retina. This can happen in isolation or in conjunction with a retinal tear or detachment. The symptoms are very similar to retinal issues—the appearance of floaters and flashes of light. How your surgeon treats PVD will be determined by its severity. It might require intervention but, in some cases, your surgeon might just monitor and see if it resolves itself.

Because the symptoms of both are so similar, it’s important to seek advice should you experience the sudden appearance of floaters (with or without flashes of light or any other symptoms).

Floaters can also increase with age or after any eye trauma. 

While floaters are a common post-cataract surgery occurrence—most of which reduce or disappear without intervention in the following weeks or months—it’s important to signal their appearance to your surgeon if they occur.

What Does it Mean if You Have Floaters After Cataract Surgery? WBEC Answers All Your Cataract-Related Questions

At the West Boca Eye Center, we aim to over-deliver on every aspect of cataract care. Not only do our patients benefit from the very latest cutting-edge treatment from one of the world’s leading cataract experts, Brent Bellotte M.D., but we also do our utmost to provide you with all the information you need to make informed decisions.

This includes detailed conversations pre-and post-treatment of what to expect and to be aware of. Don’t worry, we know that remembering a bunch of do’s, don’ts, and other info is a big ask. That’s why we provide printed and online information for you to refer to in a slower time. And, naturally, we have highly trained clinicians to answer any queries on the phone, should you need them.

Find out more at https://www.westbocaeyecenter.com/services/cataract-surgery