Category: Eye Floaters

Eye floaters are imperfections in the eye that look like dark shapes. They are made of protein and other discarded cell material. Although you may perceive them as being in front of the lens, they are in fact on the inside of the eye.

The vitreous humour is the gel-like ball inside the eye. Most children and young people do not see floaters, but over time, bits of debris are discarded by the vitreous humour or retina that causes protein (connective tissue) to be released. They float around inside the vitreous humour and cast shadows, obscuring vision in certain lighting conditions.

Half of people over the age of seventy report seeing eye floaters. The problem becomes more noticeable in older people as the vitreous becomes less solid over time. Trauma and poor nutrition are thought to be possible causes of eye floaters. It is possible some children are born with eye floaters but may not notice them until they are older. Floaters can happen after cataract surgery.

Continue reading “Protein in Eyes: What Are Eye Floaters Made Of?”

Many people come in to the office concerned about eye floaters.  A lot of patients have probably been told that there is nothing that can be done about these annoying specks and streaks that move across the field of vision, but you can take steps to reduce and prevent eye floaters.

Diet Advice

Here is some dietary advice I offer my patients.  For more tips on how to reduce and eliminate floaters please visit our website.

• Eat brown rice and other whole grains instead of refined and processed grains (such as white bread and pasta).
• Use unsulfured molasses and fruit juices for sweetening instead of white sugar, chocolate, or honey.
• Drink rice, almond, or soy milk, herb tea or unsweetened, diluted fruit juices instead of coffee, tea, alcohol, or dairy drinks.
• Steam or bake foods instead of frying them.
• Eat lots of vegetables, but avoid the nightshade family (e.g., tomatoes, green peppers, white potatoes and eggplant).
• Minimize your use of salt.

“Floaters” are those small dark shapes that appear before your eyes and float through your field of vision.  Floaters are often the result of vitreous tears or detachments often experienced by seniors, but for some these clumps of protein can be the result of candidiasis, an overgrowth of the yeast-like fungus Candida albicans. Antibiotics, birth control pills, and an improper diet can all lead to candidiasis. The best way to start to counteract yeast overgrowth and the eye floaters and other health issues that this condition can cause is by eliminating sugar and yeast containing foods from the diet and introducing probiotics.