Some things are familiar to most of us, yet their names are not very common. This is also the case with the following phenomenon. It has different names, such as “flying mosquitoes”, “mouches volantes” or “floaters”. From a medical point of view, there is also a very specific term, namely vitreous opacity. It is typical to see small threads and dots, due to age.
Vitreous opacity: This is behind the floaters
Anyone who sees flying mosquitoes shows symptoms of vitreous opacification. And while that may sound bad, you don’t have to worry about it for now. When natural result of the aging process the floaters in the eye appear all by themselves. They are also more common in people who are nearsighted, people with diabetes or high blood pressure, and people who drink little.
The reason: With increasing age, the vitreous body of the eye shrinks and its fibers lose their ordered structure. In the further course, the vitreous body can lose contact with the retina and vibrates with the eye movement. This brings the threads into focus, like Netdoktor explained.
In some cases caution is required
Mayo Clinic experts describe the phenomenon a little different. There it says that the gel-like part of the vitreous body becomes increasingly liquid, causing the existing fibers to clump together and cast tiny shadows on the retina.
The good thing: In general, such a vitreous opacity disturbs the field of vision a little. Usually the floaters in the eye disappear on their own again. However, according to the Mayo Clinic, attention is required if you notice a sudden increase in flying mosquitoes. Especially if there are flashes of light, it is advisable to consult an ophthalmologist.
Study Shows Diet Can Eliminate Floaters
To effectively combat the symptoms, researchers at the South East Technological University (SETU) in Ireland tested a special diet. in one contribution They refer to the clinical study carried out for this purpose as “patients with primary floaters [hin]showing a reduction in floater incidence and improvements in visual function within the active group compared to placebo [-Gruppe] showed”.
In the run-up to this, the subjects had to prepare a formula consisting of 125 milligrams of L-lysine (an important amino acid that the body does not produce itself), 40 milligrams of vitamin C, 26.3 milligrams of Vitis Vinifera extract (grape seed extract), five milligrams for six months Take zinc and 100 milligrams of bitter orange.
“This study is very interesting because it is the first of its kind to examine the benefits of supplementation for patients with vitreous floaters.”
Professor John Nolan, Director of the Nutrition Research Center Ireland (NRCI) at South East Technological University (SETU), principal investigator of the study
Tips to alleviate vitreous opacity
If doctors have their way, floaters can be alleviated in everyday life with simple aids. These include sunglasses with a high level of light protection (85 percent), lower brightness or contrast on the computer screen or self-tinting lenses for short-sightedness.
Quellen: Mayo Clinic, Netdoktor, South East Technological University
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