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مگس پران و جرقه در چشم Floaters and Flashes

مگس‌پران در حقیقت سایه کدورت‌های موجود در مایع زجاجیه Vitreous humor داخل چشم است که به صورت سایه های تیره دیده می‌شود. علت آن می تواند ناشی از ضخیم شدن رشته‌های زجاجیه، جمع شدن سلول‌های التهابی و یا خونریزی در داخل چشم باشد.

هنگام خیره شدن به یک زمینه روشن و صاف (مثل آسمان آبی یا دیوار سفید) این پدیده به صورت ذرات کوچک غبار مانندی جلوی چشم ظاهر و حرکت می کند. با حرکت چشم این ذرات نیز حرکت می کنند.

علت مگس‌پران چیست؟

مگس‌پران در بین تمام سنین شایع است. با افزایش سن شیوع آن زیاد می شود، به طوریکه بیش از ۷۰- ۶۰% افراد بالای ۶۰ سال مگس‌پران را تجربه کرده‌اند.
رشته‌های موجود در مایع زجاجیه چشم در کودکان و افراد جوان معمولاً بسیار ظریف است و دیده نمی‌شود اما با بالا رفتن سن این رشته‌ها ضخیم‌تر می‌شوند و در بعضی جاها به هم می‌چسبند و باعث ایجاد کدورت می‌شوند که سایه این کدورت بر روی شبکیه به صورت مگس‌پران احساس می‌شود. در بسیاری از افراد مسن بخشی از رشته‌های محیطی زجاجیه که به شبکیه متصل بوده و از جای خود کنده می‌شود و به داخل بخش‌های مرکزی زجاجیه می‌افتد. این حالت که آن را (جداشدگی خلفی زجاجیه) می‌نامندکه شایعترین علت ایجاد مگس‌پران است. گاهی اوقات هم وجود التهاب داخل چشمی (یووئیت) سبب تجمع سلول‌های التهابی در زجاجیه می‌شود که باعث ایجاد مگس‌پران می‌شود. یک علت دیگر مگس‌پران وجود خونریزی در داخل زجاجیه است؛ مثلاً در افراد مبتلا به دیابت ممکن است خونریزی خفیف چشمی ابتدا به صورت یک مگس‌پران دیده شود.

جرقه چیست؟
به معنای دیدن یک نور در میدان بینایی بدون وجود حقیقی یک محرک نوری است. در چشم پزشکی جرقه به معنای احساس وجود نور در میدان بینایی است وقتی که در حقیقت محرک نوری وجود ندارد. می تواند به صورت خطوط درخشان یا اجسام ریز درخشنده به نظر برسد. جرقه ممکن است فقط در یک نقطه خاص و یا به صورت نقاط ریز متعدد در بخشی از میدان بینایی درآید. احساس دیدن جرقه معولاً فقط چند ثانیه طول می‌کشد اما غالباً تکرار می شود. معمولاً در محیط‌های تاریک جرقه ها بیشتر تظاهر می‌کنند. به علاوه حرکات ناگهانی سر یا چشم‌ها ممکن است باعث دیدن جرقه شود.

چگونه جرقه ایجاد می شود؟
چون پاسخ سلول های شبکیه به هر نوع محرکی بصورت درک نور می باشد، هر عامل تحریک کننده از جمله اثر مایع چسبنده زجاجیه روی شبکیه می تواند باعث جرقه شود. به همین علت وقتی شبکیه تحت کشش قرار گیرد جرقه‌های نوری دیده می‌شود.

اهمیت بررسی مگس پران و جرقه چیست؟
گاهی اوقات در حین جدا شدن زجاجیه بخشی از شبکیه نیز همراه با آن کنده می‌شود و باعث ایجاد سوراخ یا پارگی در پرده شبکیه می‌شود که می تواند سبب جدا شدن پرده شبکیه و مشکلات شدید بینایی شود. پس هر نوع مگس پران و یا جرقه جدید می بایست تحت بررسی قرار گیرد.
برای انجام معاینه ابتدا مردمک با استفاده از قطره‌های مخصوص باز می‌شود و سپس معاینه انجام می‌شود. در صورتی که در معاینه هیچ مشکلی به جزء (جداشدگی زجاجیه خلفی) وجود نداشته باشد و شبکیه سالم باشد معمولا خطری وجود ندارد و اقدام خاصی لازم نیست اما در مواردی که آسیبی به پرده شبکیه وارد شده باشد یا خونریزی یا التهاب داخل چشمی وجود داشته باشد باید درمان انجام شود. گاها نیاز به تکرار این معاینه در فواصل زمانی مشخص است.

درمان جرقه و مگس پران چیست؟
مگس‌پران معمولاً علت خطرناکی ندارد و نیازی به درمان ندارد. در اکثر موارد پس از چند هفته تا چند ماه مگس پران به تدریج کوچک می شود و فرد نیز عادت می کند که آن را ندیده بگیرد. اما در مواردی که مگس پران با سوراخ یا پارگی پرده شبکیه همراه باشد ممکن است نیاز به اقدامات درمانی مثل لیزر یا عمل جراحی برای جلوگیری از پارگی پرده شبکیه وجود داشته باشد.
جرقه نیز در صورتی که علت خطرناکی نداشته باشد پس از چند روز تا چند هفته برطرف می‌شود و نیاز به درمان ندارد.

What Are Floaters?

As the name says, floater are structures that are floating. They are clumps of different size, shape, consistency of collagen fiber (primary floaters) or cells(secondary floaters) that develop inside the vitreous and moves with the movements of the eye.

The primary floaters are caused by the normal aging process of the vitreous and the secondary floaters as a result from other diseases (for example diabetes) or conditions (inflamation).

The shadow that these floaters cast on the retina is what we perceive like dots, lines, circles, clouds or cobwebs.

سردرد و جرقه
افرادی که میگرن دارند اغلب نوع دیگری از جرقه را تجربه می‌کنند. این جرقه‌ها به صورت خطوط زیگزاگی لرزان یا نقاط بزرگ شونده دیده می‌شود. معمولاً این جرقه‌ها ابتدا در وسط میدان بینایی ظاهر می‌گردد (یعنی روبروی فرد دیده می‌شود) و در عرض ۱۵ تا ۲۰ دقیقه به تدریج به کناره‌های میدان بینایی کشیده شده، کم‌کم محو می‌گردد. پس از آن سر درد شروع می‌شود که معمولاً یک طرفه و ضربان‌دار است. البته در بعضی از افراد فقط جرقه تظاهر می‌کند و سردرد اتفاق نمی‌افتد. این حالت را “میگرن چشمی” می‌گویند. یک نکته مهم آن است که جرقه ناشی از میگرن همزمان در هر دو چشم دیده می‌شود اما جرقه ناشی از مشکلات چشمی فقط در چشم مبتلا تظاهر می‌کند. ضربه ناگهانی به سر علت دیگر جرقه است.

What is Posterior Vitreous Detachment (Floaters & Flashes)?

The inside cavity of the eye is filled with a gel-like material called vitreous. When people are young, this material is dense, like jelly. As part of the aging process, the gel begins to liquefy and become more like water. As this happens, the vitreous can shrink and pull away from the retina, the tissue that lines the inner surface of the eye. When the vitreous separates from the retina, this is called a posterior vitreous detachment. In addition to aging, a posterior vitreous detachment is especially common in people who have had cataract surgery or are nearsighted.

What are the symptoms of a Posterior Vitreous Detachment?

The most common symptoms are floaters and flashes. Floaters are small clumps of vitreous gel and collagen fibrils that float around inside the eye. Floaters can look like dots, circles, line, or cobwebs, and they move when the eye moves. Sometimes, when the vitreous pulls away from the retina, it causes a small amount of bleeding into the eye, and this can cause numerous, string-like floaters. People notice floaters more often when they are in bright light, such as on a sunny day, or in a bright room with white walls. Most people get accustomed to their floaters and are no longer bothered by them. Over time, the floaters will thin and move away from the central vision. eResearch by Navid Ajamin -- spring 2011

Flashes of light, or lightening streaks, can be seen when the vitreous separates from the retina. During this process, the vitreous pulls on the retina which causes the appearance of flashing lights (the retina has no pain sensors, so traction on the retina is represented by flashes of light). Usually, the process of a posterior vitreous detachment happens over the course of several weeks, and flashes of light can be seen during this period of time.

Is a Posterior Vitreous Detachment serious?

Usually, this is not a serious problem. However, when the vitreous is pulled away from the retina, it sometimes creates a hole or tear in the retina. A retinal hole or retinal tear can lead to a retinal detachment, which is a serious problem.

When is it necessary to see a Retina Specialist if you have floaters or flashes?

Without an examination by an eye doctor, there is no way for a patient to determine if floaters or flashes are serious. If you are having new onset floaters or flashes, or a significant increase or change of these symptoms, you should be examined by a retina specialist as soon as possible. It is necessary to have a complete, dilated eye exam with scleral depression to check for retinal holes, retinal tears, or a retinal detachment.

Causes of Eye Floaters

Eye floaters are naturally occurring and are often a product of aging. As we get older, the proteins in our eyes break down and fibres within the vitreous become more visible, and drift through the eye’s fluid. When eye floaters are occasionally present and seem to be consistent in pattern, they can be normal.

Some people may be born with proteins or fibrous particles in the eye’s vitreous. These specks can remain in the fluid as the eye grows. Sometimes eye floaters can be confused with particles trapped under a contact lens. Other common reasons for eye floaters include:

• Being over the age of 50
• Nearsightedness (myopia)
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Eye inflammation
• Previous eye trauma
• Previous eye surgery

When should I worry about eye floaters?

Symptoms that should be seen by a doctor include light flashes in one or both eyes, a dark shadow or curtain in your peripheral or center field of vision, and more floaters than are common with aging. You should also see an ophthalmologist if you have never experienced floaters before.

Eye floaters and eye flashes are examples of entoptic phenomena — which means they are visual effects whose source is within the eye itself.

The key differences between eye floaters and flashes are their appearance and causes:

Appearance

Eye floaters are shadowy spots, clumps, and irregular linear and fuzzball-like shapes (like the “pilling” of the fibers of a sweater) that drift slowly across your field of view — which makes them appear as though they are floating in front of your eyes.

Eye flashes appear just as their name suggests — they are bright (often arc-shaped or jagged) flashes of light, which tend to appear more frequently in your peripheral vision.

Tips for preventing new eye floaters include:

• Maintain a healthy, balanced diet rich in antioxidants
• Quit smoking and reduce alcohol intake
• Drink plenty of water
• Get quality sleep
• Limit screen time
• Wear sunglasses outdoors
• Dim bright lights
• Reduce stress and anxiety

Reference:

• verywellhealth.com/when-should-i-worry-about-eye-floaters-5091976
• discovereyecare.com/when-should-i-worry-about-eye-floaters
• visioncenter.org/blog/reduce-floaters-naturally
• allaboutvision.com/conditions/floaters-flashes
• thefloatersociety.com/what-are-floaters
• retinastl.com/services/floaters-flashes
• grepmed.com/images/15175/floaters

See Also:

• Is It Normal for Kids to Have Eye Floaters?
• How to reduce floaters in eyes naturally
• Sudden large floater in one eye

Eye floaters, those specks or strings that slowly drift through your field of vision, affect most of us eventually, according to the National Eye Institute. While most floaters are caused by the aging process and are harmless, some floaters are symptomatic of serious eye disorders and should be evaluated by an ophthalmologist, a doctor who specializes in treating disorders and diseases of the eye.

What do eye floaters look like? [3]

There are many ways to describe eye floaters. Some people see spiders, amoebas or clouds. Your own creativity guides how you think a floater looks. Your description of floaters might sound completely different from someone else’s definition. If you have floaters, you might see:

• Squiggly lines.
• Spots.
• Spiderlike shapes.
• Threadlike strands.
• Small shadowy shapes.
• Black or very dark spots.

Eye Floaters (Myodesopsias)

“You can think of [floaters] as UFOs floating in the eye,” explains Dr.

What is another name for eye floaters?

Eye floaters, also known as myodesopsias or muscae volitantes (in Latin, flying flies) are an ocular trouble consisting in the emergence in the visual field of black or white-coloured dots, spots, threads or cobwebs of different shapes, that move with eye movements.

Identification eResearch by Navid Ajamin -- summer 2009

The appearance of floaters varies from person to person, but most are described as looking like cobwebs, strings or gray or black specks. Most people notice them more on bright days or when looking at a light-colored wall or a sheet of white paper. Floaters move with the eye and if you try to quickly move your eye to get a better look at a floater, it seems to disappear.

Risk Factors

You are most likely to get floaters if you are nearsighted, have experienced eye trauma, are over 40 years old, or have diabetic retinopathy or inflammation in your eye. Floaters can also develop as a complication of cataract surgery.

Effects of Aging

As you age, the clear gel-like vitreous that fills the inside of your eyes starts to become more liquid. When this happens, the vitreous shrinks slightly and pulls away from the inside of your eye, causing tiny fibers inside the vitreous to clump together and break away from the rest of the vitreous. The clump drifts through your eye and the floaters you see are actually shadows from the fibers.

Warning Signs

If you experience a sudden increase in floaters, see your doctor. Increases can occur when an entire section of the vitreous suddenly pulls away from the retina, causing a vitreous detachment. Depending on your condition, treatment may not be necessary and your doctor may simply want to observe your condition for a period of time to make sure that a retinal detachment or tear does not occur.

If increased floaters are accompanied by loss of peripheral vision, hazy vision or flashes of light, you may have a retinal detachment. When the retina pulls away from the back of the eye, vision loss can occur. Immediate medical attention is necessary to preserve vision. Untreated retinal detachments can cause permanent vision loss within two or three days.

Treatment

This is a natural treatment which can be done by anyone suffering from this problem. Taking care of diet and having food that is helpful to support eyesight can aid in improving the condition of eye floaters. Nutrients such as vitamins and supplements support in reducing eye problems and should be consumed if you have this eye issue. Other than this proper hydration and rest can also aid in developing overall health.

Include these nutrients in diet for better recovery [5]

• Zinc
• Omega-3-fatty acids
• Vitamins A, C and E

There is usually no need to treat floaters, as eventually most of them settle at the bottom of the eye and don't cause serious problems with vision. If floaters are particularly numerous or dense and begin to affect vision, a vitrectomy can be performed. During a vitrectomy, your doctor removes the vitreous gel containing the floaters from your eye, replacing the gel with saline solution. The procedure is not without risk: cataract formation, retinal tears and retinal detachment can occur following vitrectomy.[1]

What Triggers Eye Floaters? [5]

Well according to expert, there are few factors which lead the person to have eye floaters. These are mostly caused by lifestyle changes and problems. In some conditions it can also be due to some common health problems.

• Near sightedness
• Migraines
• Medications
• Posterior eye inflammation
• Eye bleeding
• Tumours
• Surgery
• Torn retina
• Diabetic retinopathy

Can eye floaters be removed with medication?

Although certain herbs, vitamins and iodine-containing products have been touted as effective in decreasing eye floaters, none of these have been proven effective in clinical trials. In the unusual cases where the eye floaters are due to white blood cells in the vitreous from inflammation or infection, appropriate anti-inflammatory drugs or antibiotics will reduce the number of white blood cells. There are no oral or eye drop medications of value for the reduction of the common type of eye floaters.[2]

How many floaters are normal in eye?

In most cases, you don't need to worry about eye floaters or occasional flashes of light. They happen as you age and your eye changes. It's normal. However, if you start to notice significantly more floaters and flashes than you've experienced in the past, call your healthcare provider or eye care provider.

What Causes Eye Flashes?

Ordinarily, light entering your eye stimulates the retina. This produces an electrical impulse, which the optic nerve transmits to the brain. The brain then interprets this impulse as light or some type of image.

DOUGHNUT EYE FLOATERS

An unusually large floater called a “Weiss ring” represents a circular piece of condensed vitreous gel that is intimately attached around the optic nerve.

When this piece of vitreous separates from the optic nerve, many people will describe a circular, doughnut-shaped floater in their vision.

This ring sometimes will fold in half, creating a floater in the shape of a “J” or “C.”

If the retina is mechanically stimulated (physically touched or tugged), a similar electrical impulse is sent to the brain. This impulse is then interpreted as a “flicker” of light.

When the retina is tugged, torn or detached from the back of the eye, a flash or flicker of light commonly is noticed. Depending on the extent of the traction, tear or detachment, these flashes of light might be short-lived or continue indefinitely until the retina is repaired.

Flashes (photopsias) also may occur after a blow to the head that is capable of shaking the vitreous gel inside the eye. When this occurs, the phenomenon sometimes is called “seeing stars.”

Some people experience flashes of light that appear as jagged lines or “heat waves” in both eyes, often lasting 10-20 minutes. These types of flashes are usually caused by a spasm of blood vessels in the brain.

If a headache follows the flashes, it is called a migraine headache. However, jagged lines or “heat waves” can occur without a headache. In this case, the light flashes are called an ophthalmic migraine, or a migraine without a headache.

Eye floaters can be clumpy or stringy; light or dark. They are caused by clumps or specks of undissolved vitreous gel material floating in the dissolved gel-like fluid (vitreous) in the back of the eye, which cast shadows on the retina when light enters the eye.[4]

Reference:

1. ehow.com
2. medicinenet.com/eye_floaters/page5.htm#medication
3. my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/14209-eye-floaters-myodesopias
4. specialtyretina.com/floaters-flashes.html
5. onlymyhealth.com/eye-floaters-methods-to-treat-1634729024
6. nvisioncenters.com/eye-floaters

See also:

Sudden appearance of floaters and flashes can signal serious eye issues -- uclahealth.org