I struggle to describe what it is like having floaters in my eyes. My best attempt at explaining it would be that it’s sort of like seeing squiggly lines and spots that move as you move your eyes; in my case, they honestly look like little worms, or parasites, as awful as that sounds, and I see them in my vision almost all of the time.
I’ve had floaters since I was a child, but they worsened after I was diagnosed with Lyme disease. I’ve done the research and have spoken to a few professionals who have been able to tell me that Lyme bacteria is not kind to the eyes and that it can contribute to an uptick in floaters.
This past summer, I sustained a serious concussion playing rugby. After this, the floaters worsened yet again, so I decided to heed the advice of a teammate who works in an optometry office and get my eyes checked out.
I had an appointment last week and was positively gobsmacked to learn that I have tears in my retinas in both eyes, which is why my floaters are steadily getting more pronounced. I asked what the cause of torn retinas was, and my optometrist told me trauma, for example, a solid whack to the head. Again, though, Lyme bacteria wreaks havoc on the eyes, so I suspect it has not been a helpful contributor in my case.
I have to see an ophthalmologist whereupon I will have a better idea of the degree of the tears and what treatment options I have, but I had absolutely no clue that an increase in eye floaters can mean torn retinas. If you have floaters or are noticing they’re worsening, please take it from me and book an appointment with your eye doctor. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Photo by Amanda Dalbjörn on Unsplash
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