Do Cataracts Cause Eye Floaters?

Floaters in the eye, medical symptom in optics

Cataracts and eye floaters affect your vision in different ways, but many believe that a correlation exists between the two. However, the two conditions impact entirely different areas of the eye. Learn more about the relationship between cataracts and eye floaters and the available treatment options at Florida Eye Specialists.

What Are Cataracts?

Cataracts refer to the clouding of the natural lens of one or both eyes. The cloudiness makes it harder for light to get through clearly to your retina, leading to blurry or hazy vision. As the condition worsens, you may experience double vision, light sensitivity, and difficulty seeing at night.

Cataracts typically develop slowly with age due to protein buildup. However, the condition can also be caused by factors such as genetics, eye injury, certain medications, or other underlying health conditions. 

What Are Eye Floaters?

 Eye floaters are tiny spots that disrupt your vision, appearing as spacks, cobweb-like structures, or irregular shapes. Similar to cataracts, these spots become more common and apparent with age. 

Eye floaters appear due to shadows cast on the retina by clumps of gel-like substances called vitreous humor. They tend to become more obvious outdoors or when looking against bright backgrounds. Sometimes, these are a normal sign of aging. However, they can also be an indicator of a serious medical issue and need to be addressed quickly by your doctor.

Will I get floaters after cataract surgery?

Cataract surgery involves the removal of the cloudy, natural lens and the implantation of an artificial lens to restore clear vision. Although cataract surgery is one of the safest surgical procedures in the country, it can increase your awareness of pre-existing floaters. 

Cataract surgery helps improve your vision, allowing you to see brighter colors and clearer shapes. Therefore, you may notice eye floaters for the first time following your procedure. However, undergoing cataract surgery will not directly lead to the development of new floaters.

Will Cataract Surgery Fix the Floaters?

Cataract surgery is primarily performed to remove the clouded lens and replace it with an artificial one, aiming to improve vision affected by cataracts. While the surgery can significantly enhance visual clarity, it does not directly address or eliminate pre-existing floaters. If floaters are a concern, it is essential to have a discussion with your eye care professional to explore appropriate treatment options.

Treatment Options For Eye Floaters

While most eye floaters do not require treatment, some individuals may find them bothersome or experience a sudden increase in their development, which could also indicate an underlying eye condition. In these cases, treatment options include:

Observation

Most floaters are harmless and may become less bothersome as our brain learns to ignore them. In most cases, the specks will go away on their own over time.

Surgery

In severe cases, a procedure called vitrectomy can be performed to remove the vitreous humor and replace it with a saline solution.

Laser Therapy

Laser treatment works to break up large eye floaters into smaller pieces that are less noticeable to you.

Cataract Specialists in Jacksonville, FL

For more information about cataract and eye floater treatment, request an appointment at Florida Eye Specialists or download our free guide about cataracts.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE