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Designers, do you see eye floaters?

over 4 years ago from

Hi guys, I'm wondering, if I'm the only one who is bothered by eye floaters. Do they irritate you during the work? Is there anything special which you do to avoid them?

If you don't know what are eye floaters, TED has a nice video explaining them more in detail. https://youtu.be/Y6e_m9iq-4Q

32 comments

  • Duke CavinskiDuke Cavinski, over 4 years ago

    Should designers have eye floaters?

    Only when I pay attention to them. Usually only annoying while reading. I don't think there's anything you can do about it.

    9 points
    • BAKA .kidBAKA .kid, over 4 years ago

      I find that dark mode makes floaters less visible, white or light backgrounds is when they are most apparent.

      As a side note - I recently had a cyst in my eye, which is super common, but it happened to form right at the fine focus area of the eye, so I couldn't focus properly for about 6 months. it went away on its own, but if it didn't apparently laser surgery would have died it. Excessive caffeine and antihistamines were the apparent cause.

      1 point
  • Ken Em, over 4 years ago

    Yes. I've had a PVD (post vitreous detachment) in my left eye which has left me with a Weiss Ring, and the same is likely to happen in my right eye at some point. I've also had a retinal tear in the left eye associated with the PVD which was lasered up. So yeah, I've got tons of floaters, all the result of lifelong nearsightedness and aging. I only really notice all the junk floating around in there if I become hyper-aware of it, but in time the brain adapts and generally ignores it as being "normal". That part is actually quite interesting.

    2 points
  • coffeebreak the Noble, over 4 years ago

    I do too and yes they sometimes bother me... when I let them ahahah

    2 points
  • Tomas Rolejček, over 4 years ago

    Yes, sometimes it is annoying, but for the most of the time my brain ignores them. I have not found any way how to ged rid of them. Sunglasses and dark mode are my friends :)

    1 point
  • Leo Paulino, over 4 years ago

    You know I use to think I was the only one too. But it's very common. Still it can be a little bit distracting at times. Yet I am not sure what causes them though? Probably due to our over exposure to wi-fi signals?....Lol

    1 point
  • Bree Chapin, over 4 years ago

    I have found something that kind of has helped with eyestrain (besides just closing the laptop and going for a walk)

    1 - flux (red shift for your screen) 2 - sunglasses (a bit of a socially awkward solution, but...)

    1 point
  • Bree Chapin, over 4 years ago

    Yep, and they can be distracting. I have some cataracts that I have had to contend with from childhood =_=

    1 point
  • Andrei Rac, over 4 years ago

    For me it's little flashes/lines of light, I usually get them if I keep the screen brightness too high (or looking at any light source that is too intense).

    1 point
    • Ken Em, over 4 years ago

      Flashes are usually a sign of a retinal issue. I would recommend seeing a retina surgeon.

      3 points
      • Andrei Rac, over 4 years ago

        It's mainly just like the blue field entoptic phenomenon described in the video.

        I did check with a specialist when it started (although an optometrist, not a retina surgeon). After some tests she couldn't find anything wrong...no new symptoms since then, so hopefully she was right.

        0 points
        • Ken Em, over 4 years ago

          Ok good, but it's something to keep on top of. In my case, I have flashes in my left eye as a result of my PVD, where the vitreous is tugging very slightly on the retina. When that happens, it manifests itself as an electrical signal which the brain interprets as a flash of light. The ultimate danger is if the flashes increase or worsen, that could be a sign of a retinal detachment starting.

          0 points
  • Ollie BarkerOllie Barker, over 4 years ago

    What a question.

    Yes.

    1 point
  • Yasmin AndreaYasmin Andrea, over 4 years ago

    I've had them for 2 years now. I noticed they were there after a period of stress at work where I was staring at my computer constantly (trying to get work finished for a deadline), not sleeping enough, and had developed eye strain as well. Was really terrifying at first, but after a year I learned to ignore them. However, they got worse at the end of last year and I'm trying to figure out if it's due to certain habits. My floaters are worst when it's sunny or there's bright lighting inside. Adjusting the lighting/closing the blinds usually makes them bearable enough to ignore for me.

    1 point
    • Ken Em, over 4 years ago

      I'm not sure how old you are, but eye floaters are perfectly normal and are simply a sign of aging degeneration and are generally harmless by themselves. I agree they can be pretty annoying in bright light, as what you are actually seeing is the shadows from the floaters being cast on your retina. They never really go away, but as I noted earlier, the brain learns to adapt to the fact they are there, and often times they can fall out of the field of vision to not be too much of a bother.

      2 points
      • Yasmin AndreaYasmin Andrea, over 4 years ago

        I'm 26 now, was 24 when I first developed them. It just came on as a bit of a shock (having had no real health problems at all prior to that). But yeah, it's reassuring to hear other designers have to deal with them too.

        1 point
  • David Politi, over 4 years ago

    This has been a big concern for me. I’m 37, have them in both eyes, pretty frightening.

    Looking up and down quickly seems to move them out of the way.

    My opt says nothing to worry about.

    0 points
  • Dan Shilov, over 4 years ago

    Yeah I have a black one floating in my left eye that I got last year. Pretty annoying but i try not to focus on it too much and try to wear sunglasses more often when I'm outside.

    0 points
  • Max PotvinMax Potvin, over 4 years ago

    I forgot about them, thank you for bringing them back haha!

    0 points
  • John LeschinskiJohn Leschinski, over 4 years ago

    I've had them my whole life and can mostly ignore them unless I'm looking for them.

    0 points
  • Amanda Franzoi, over 4 years ago

    i forgot i have them till i read your post

    0 points
  • Account deleted over 4 years ago

    Yes I do, I hate them, they literally block my vision. But this is the only way to treat them so I'm trying to get along with them.

    nsfw and gross -> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitrectomy

    nothing to avoid them. Seen so many doctors, some blue light filtering bs, screen protectors, herbal teas and the list goes on. Nothing worked. The only thing I've noticed (or maybe it's just me) caffeine makes them more 'fluidy' so after a good coffee you end up seeing more of those fckrs.

    oh did I say I hate them with a passion?

    ps, after seeing so many ppl on here, it's a relief that I'm not the only one who sees evil squiggles.

    0 points
  • Razlan HanafiahRazlan Hanafiah, over 4 years ago

    Of course. Each one of them has a name. My favorite is Squall.

    0 points
  • Aaron Wears Many HatsAaron Wears Many Hats, over 4 years ago

    Yes, human beings have collagen fibers floating within their eyeballs, which are sometimes visible when they clump together within the vitreous body inside your eye.

    0 points
  • Brett Williams, over 4 years ago

    I recently purchases blue light blocking computer glasses off of Amazon for about $15 and the eye-strain that I experienced is almost completely gone. I've noticed I get far less headaches and don't feel nearly as fatigued after spending 8+ hours at a screen. I would highly recommend them.

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D4P5H3F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    0 points
  • Mattan IngramMattan Ingram, over 4 years ago

    I have them, but only really notice when looking at a bright sky or screen and don't have anything distracting me. They can be fun to bounce around your field of vision and watch the stringier ones fold over themselves.

    0 points
  • Kyle KKyle K, over 4 years ago

    Since I first got glasses when I was a kid. Normally I try to ignore them. They seemed to get worse when I was wearing contacts. Switched back to glasses 6 years ago due to all the eye strain.

    0 points
  • J. C.J. C., over 4 years ago

    Yep. After reading a long passage of white text on black background, I had an episode of something that pretty much fits the description of Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. If I recall correctly there were some kind of flickering in one of the sides of my sight. It went away after an hour or so, but the next time I went outside I noticed an abnorm amount of floaters (compared to what I had before).

    Fun fact: The tiny dots you sometimes see flashing around when looking at something very bright (like the sky) are white blood cells. You're able to see them because they're so large, and the vessels in your eyes are so thin that they fit only one at a time.

    0 points
    • Ken Em, over 4 years ago

      Not so fun: A shower of red blood cells entering your vision due to a hemorrhage. That wasn't fun at all.

      0 points
  • Jean ChouinardJean Chouinard, over 4 years ago

    I have several eye floaters in both eyes. I do not usually notice them except when it's very bright in the room.

    0 points
  • Tyler Finck, over 4 years ago

    Oh yeah, going on 15 years now in one eye

    0 points