Eye floaters, also known as vitreous opacities, look like specks, dots, circles, or squiggles in your field of vision. Eye floaters appear as an outside element, but they come from inside your eye.
Eye floaters occur when fibers break from your vitreous (a jelly-like substance that fills the middle of your eye). These fibers cast shadows on your retina (the light-sensing layer in the back of your eye), which then appear as floaters in your field of vision.
One of the most typical reasons behind eye floaters is the eye’s natural aging. As a person ages, the vitreous body often shrinks and liquifies, causing fibers to break away.
Four Ways to Naturally Reduce Eye Floaters
Here are evidence-based recommendations for how to naturally reduce eye floaters:
1. Ignore Them
Eye floaters typically disappear on their own. Learning to ignore them is the least invasive way to reduce them from your visual field.
Exercises that reduce the perception of floaters include:
- Moving your eye around, which shifts eye fluid
- Extending your focus to distant objects, which helps avoid looking directly at the eye floater2
Over time, the brain can selectively adapt and ignore eye floaters.3 Tell your eye doctor if floaters interfere with your vision and daily activities.
2. Make Diet Changes
Maintaining a healthy diet rich in antioxidants and staying hydrated can improve overall eye health. Eye health supplements such as VitroCap N, which contains a micronutrient formulation of beneficial antioxidants, can also help.
VitroCap N contains:
- L-lysine
- Vitamin C
- Grape seed extract
- Zinc
- Citrus aurantium
Research shows this cocktail of micronutrients, when taken together, can naturally reduce eye floaters.
Science Behind Micronutrient Support for Eye Floaters
In a 2021 study, participants suffering from vitreous degeneration reported significant improvement in discomfort from floaters after 6 months of taking this micronutrient formulation. The placebo group reported no significant improvement.
Each component in the formulation serves a specific purpose. The L-lysine guards against collagen glycation. Vitamin C reduces oxidative stress within the eye structure.
Zinc helps create a protein that protects against eye tissue degeneration. The grape seed extract contains a compound called proanthocyanidin that helps block protein glycation. The citrus aurantium contains hesperidin, which helps to counter oxidative stress.5
3. Rest
While stress doesn’t directly cause eye floaters, it can lead to eye fatigue and cause eye floaters to seem more abundant.6
Lack of sleep can also increase eye strain. It can lead to visual symptoms, including:
- Light sensitivity
- Reduced peripheral vision
- Blurred vision
- Dry eyes
- Eye twitching
Resting your eyes and getting plenty of sleep can reduce eye floaters and minimize eye strain.
4. Protect Your Eyes
Prolonged computer or digital device use and exposure to harsh light can lead to eye strain. It can also lead to the appearance of eye floaters.8
Strategies for minimizing eye strain include:
- Take frequent breaks from your computer
- Limit screen time
- Turn down your computer brightness
- Eliminate glare sources
- Wear sunglasses outside
- Dim indoor lights if they are too bright
Do Natural Remedies Actually Work?
Because eye floaters are typically a consequence of aging, taking care of your body is the best way to protect your eyes from degeneration. Research on eye health points toward antioxidants and certain natural enzymes (like bromelain) being beneficial.
However, there isn’t a scientifically proven natural remedy that naturally dissolves eye floaters, at least not one that is foolproof. However, studies have shown that antioxidant dietary supplements significantly decreased eye floaters and discomfort compared to a placebo group.5
A recent study involving pineapple also showed promising results.9
Natural Remedies For Improving Overall Eye Health
Most natural remedies for reducing eye floaters, outside of dietary supplements, are subjective and based on personal experience rather than on science.
Many aim to boost overall eye health rather than eye floaters directly. These remedies include:
- Stress reduction
- Healthy diet and hydration
- Minimizing bright lights
- Eye exercises
- Getting plenty of sleep
Foods That May Naturally Improve Eye Health
Due to its high content of a digestive enzyme called bromelain, pineapple has been linked to a decrease in eye floaters. A 2019 study showed that 70% of participants who consumed pineapple (between 100 and 300 grams) daily reported the disappearance of eye floaters after 3 three months.9
Bromelain and Its Role in Reducing Eye Floaters
Bromelain is likely useful for reducing eye floaters because it can digest proteins like collagen, which is what floaters are made out of. Interestingly, it’s only found naturally in large quantities in pineapple.
Some experts also attribute the results of the 2019 study to the high levels of vitamin C and vitamin A in pineapple. Both have science-backed benefits for eye health.
Foods with Vitamin C
Other foods that contain high levels of vitamin C include:
- Citrus fruits
- Guava
- Kiwi
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli
Foods with Vitamin A
Natural sources of vitamin A include:
- Carrots
- Sweet potatoes
- Butternut squash
- Spinach
Foods with High Amounts Of Zinc
Foods that contain significant concentrations of zinc include:
- Oysters
- Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, and beans)
- Seeds (sesame, pumpkin, and hemp)
Best Professional Treatments for Eye Floaters
Typically, eye floaters are not severe. However, professional treatments are an option if they are persistent and interfere with your vision and daily activities.
Vitrectomy
A vitrectomy is an eye surgery that removes the eye’s vitreous through a small incision. The goal is to replace the vitreous with a solution that maintains the eye’s shape.
Most eye doctors recommend that if you don’t have a severe eye disease, to wait at least 6 months to see if your floaters disappear on their own before considering surgery.
Vitrectomy surgery doesn’t guarantee that floaters will not return. Risks from a vitrectomy include:
- Infection
- Cataract formation
- Retinal tear or detachment
- Macular pucker (scar tissue)
- Swelling
Laser Vitreolysis
Vitreolysis uses laser treatment to target eye floaters directly and break them into smaller fragments. This clears up your field of vision.
People who are good candidates for vitreolysis include those who:
- Have floater symptoms that persist for over 4 months
- Have floaters that affect activities of daily living (reading, driving, watching TV)
- Feel their quality of life is affected
- Don’t have severe eye conditions (cataracts, retinal tearing, clouding of the cornea or lens)
How to Prevent New Eye Floaters
Eye floaters are common with age and as the vitreous thins. Most people will experience eye floaters at some point in their lives.
While they are typically harmless, eye floaters can affect daily activities and quality of life. Tips for preventing new eye floaters include:
- Maintain a healthy, balanced diet rich in antioxidants
- Quit smoking and reduce alcohol intake
- Drink plenty of water
- Get quality sleep
- Limit screen time
- Wear sunglasses outdoors
- Dim bright lights
- Reduce stress and anxiety
Are Eye Floaters Serious?
Floaters are typically not severe and disappear over time. They are common with age. Most self-resolve within 1 month, but some may take up to 6 months.
In rare cases, they can signify eye disease or retinal detachment, a medical emergency.
Common causes of non-serious eye floaters include:
- Nearsightedness (trouble seeing far away)
- Cataract surgery
- History of eye inflammation
While an eye doctor should evaluate persistent eye floaters, there are ways you can naturally reduce the occasional floater from your field of vision.
Summary
Most people will experience eye floaters at least once in their lives. They’re relatively common and usually happen with age. Typically, they aren’t serious and will go away on their own within a month. Some, however, may last up to 6 months. In rare cases, they can be a sign of serious eye disease.
Natural remedies to help reduce eye floaters naturally include maintaining a healthy diet, reducing screen time, wearing eye protection, and getting plenty of rest.
Supplements like VitroCap N that contain eye-supporting micronutrients can improve discomfort from floaters after 6 months of daily use.
Research also shows that consuming between 100 to 300 grams of pineapple daily for 3 months may also naturally reduce or eliminate eye floaters.
Surgical treatments to remove eye floaters include a vitrectomy and laser vitreolysis.
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