Index
What are Fly Flies?
They are tiny particles that move through your visual field. While they take many forms, most are dark and shadowy figures that seem to move as you see things in front of you.
They can stand out when you look at something bright, like a white paper or a blue sky. They could bother you, but they should not interfere with your sight.
You can learn to live with flies and ignore them. You may notice them less as time passes. Only rarely do they get bad enough to require treatment.
What are your symptoms?
Flying flies earn their name by moving in their eye. They tend to move away when you try to focus on them.
They come in many different forms:
- Black or gray spots
- Wavy lines
- Threads that can be knotty and almost transparent
- Spider webs
- Rings
Once you have them, they usually do not disappear. But usually, the notes are less with time.
But if you present the following symptoms, it’s time to go to a specialist:
- A sudden increase in the number of floats
- Flashes of light
- A loss of lateral vision
- Changes that happen quickly and get worse over time
- Fly flies after eye surgery or eye trauma
- Eye pain
Choose a doctor who has experience with retinal problems. If you do not get help right away, you could lose sight.
Causes
Most fly flies occur as part of the aging process. Over time, the protein and collagen fibers that support the vitreous, the gelatinous sac in the back of the eyes may weaken.
This can cause the vitreous to shrink, eventually becoming fragments accumulated in your eyes.
They can cast shadows as they float across your field of vision, which you can see as wavy lines, filiform strands, cobwebs, rings, or black dots.
Fly flies are a common symptom when your retina is torn or detached. They can also appear when a diabetic eye disease, hypertensive retinopathy, or uveitis develops.
In addition, your vision can be reduced as a complication of an eye injury, tumors, or surgeries. If, after being injured, you see some floating microscopic shape, it is best to seek the help of your trusted optometrist as soon as possible.
Similarly, if you see a flash, the vitreous has moved away from the retina. If that happens, consult your eye doctor as soon as possible.
These changes can occur at any age but generally between 50 and 75 years. You are more likely to have them if you have nearsightedness or cataract surgery.
It’s weird, but flying flies can also result from:
- Eye disease
- Eye injury
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Crystal deposits that form in the vitreous
- Eye tumors
Severe eye disorders associated with flying flies include:
- Detached retina
- Retina rota
- Bleeding in your vitreous
- Vitreous or retina inflammation caused by infections or an autoimmune condition
- Eye tumors
Something that might look like flies is the visual aura that can come with a headache. It could also look like what you see when you put your eye in a kaleidoscope.
I could even move. This usually lasts a few minutes and may involve vision in both eyes. But then it is wholly resolved unless you have another episode.
Treatment of flying flies
Flying flies are a harmless pathology most of the time. While they can be annoying, they usually fade later. However, if they continue to grow in size or number, they can compromise their vision and quality of life.
When this happens, the doctor may suggest a vitrectomy. This is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of your vitreous, along with your floating debris.
We can also recommend using a laser beam to break fly flies, making them less noticeable.
If they bother you, try to remove them from your field of vision. Move your eyes; this changes the fluid around. Look up and down, which generally works better than from side to side.
