How to Get Rid of Eye Floaters

Co-authored by Mark Cannon, OD

Last Updated: September 9, 2024 Approved

Eye floaters are inconsistent pieces in the vitreous humour of our eyes. The vitreous humour is the clear, colorless fluid that fills the space between the lens and the retina of the eyeball. It provides many benefits such as inflating the eye structure, keeping the retina in place, aiding in defending the eye from pathogens, and supplying nutrients to tissues. Floaters are a mix of collage and proteins become stringy and subsequently more visible with age. These may look like strings, specks, or light flashes. Floaters are not usually dangerous, but they can be annoying. ^{[1]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public

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Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Removing Floaters

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1
Don’t do anything. Be patient and most floaters will go away without any medical intervention. If you do feel you need your floaters treated, don't try to remove them yourself. See an ophthalmologist for diagnosis and treatment.^{[2]
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Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

Go to source} Keep this information in mind:
- Leaving your eyes alone will let your eyes absorb floaters naturally.
- Let your eyes get used to the floaters and you will become less aware of them over time. ^{[3]
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- If your floaters turn red or start causing pain, you should seek immediate help from a health care professional.
2
Try taking antioxidant vitamins. Taking this medicine helps people with another eye condition called macular degeneration, so some doctors think that these might help with floaters too. Choose an antioxidant from this list:
- Rosehips
- Turmeric
- Hawthorn berry
- Propolis concentrate
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3
Try taking supplements to increase blood flow. Increased blood flow might help your eyes better flush out the gelatinous protein from the vitreous. Choose a supplement, such as the ones below:
- Ginkgo Biloba
- Lysine
- Bilberry
4
Try taking over-the-counter medicines. Taking medications that help with other related conditions might help. Try one of these:
- Anti-inflammatory medicine such as aspirin.
- Methylsulfonylmethane
- Hyaluronic Acid
5
Maneuver your eyes.^{[4]
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Research source} Try following these suggestions on how to move your eyes if you want to reduce eye floaters:
- Move your eyes up and down to shift the fluid in your eyes. ^{[5]
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  Harvard Medical School
  Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
  
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- Open and close your eyes.
- Move your eyes so that you are not staring directly at your floaters.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Preventing Floaters

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Eat properly. Promote eye health by eating these foods:
- Eat foods that are high in antioxidants like spinach, broccoli, kale, kiwi, and grapes. Eating antioxidants will protect your eyes.
- Eat foods that are high in Vitamin C like oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, and green peppers. Eating Vitamin C will help you build up your immune system.
- Eat foods that are high in Vitamin E like sunflower seeds, almonds, pecans and wheat germ. Eating Vitamin E will keep your eyes strong.
2
Sleep properly. Getting enough sleep will help stop floaters from forming. Keep these things in mind:
- Try to sleep at least 8 hours a night.
- Sleeping helps to keep your eyes healthy.
- Realize that floaters may be more apparent if your eyes are blurry from not getting enough sleep.
3
Reduce stress. Practicing stress management techniques will help stop floaters from forming. Prevent stress by doing one of the following:
- Meditate
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Tai Chi
- Be positive.
- Breathe deeply.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Seeking Medical Attention

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Determine if you need to see a doctor. Recognize that while 98% of floaters are harmless, you need to know if your floaters are symptoms of a more serious condition.^{[6]
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Trustworthy Source

Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

Go to source} See a doctor right away if you experience any of the following:
- Loss of sight.
- Blurry or clouded vision.
- Eye pain.
- Flashes of light.
- Red floaters.
- Floaters that appear after eye surgery or trauma.
- Floaters that appear suddenly.
- A significant increase in floaters, especially if combined with flashes of light.^{[7]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Mark Cannon, OD
  Board Certified Optometrist
  
  Expert Interview. 14 August 2020.}
2
Recognize the risks of an underlying condition. Make sure to see a doctor immediately if you experience symptoms that could be the sign of more serious problem. Find out if you may have any of these medical conditions:
- Retinal tear
- Retinal detachment
- Vitreous hemorrhage (bleeding between the lens and the retina)
- Vitreous and retinal inflammation (caused by infections or auto-immune inflammation)
- Eye tumors
- Diabetic retinopathy
3
Find out if you’re at risk. Be aware that certain groups of people experience floaters more than the rest of the population. ^{[8]
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Research source} Watch out for eye floaters if any of the following apply to you:
- You’re nearsighted.
- You’re between the ages of 50 and 75.
- You’ve had cataract surgery.
4
Know your treatment options. Be aware that all of these options carry risks, so most doctors won’t perform them unless absolutely medically necessary. ^{[9]
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Trustworthy Source

Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public

Go to source} Ask your doctor about these treatments if you have a dangerous underlying condition that is causing your floaters:
- Vitrectomy Surgery. This procedure removes the vitreous gel from the middle of the eye. ^{[10]
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- Laser treatments. This procedure breaks up eye floaters by the use of a YAG laser. Although some ophthalmologists have advocated this treatment option, there is no evidence that this is both safe and effective.^{[11]
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Warnings

If you notice any change to your floaters including their sudden onset, an increase in the number of floaters, redness, or any associated pain, see a doctor immediately. Not seeking rapid medical help could lead to permanent vision damage.

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