Image copyright getty Image caption When you turn your eyes in the direction of the "fly", they usually run away from the field of view

Many of us have noticed a strange movement in our own eyes - floating opacities of different density, as if running away from your gaze. The observer explains the nature of this phenomenon.

You may not know their official name, but you have no doubt seen them in your eyes.

The phenomenon associated with the appearance of these floating visions, sometimes also referred to as vitreous opacities or Muscaevolitantes(flying flies - lat.), known as myodesopsia, i.e. "clouding of the vitreous".

They may look like dots or spots, threads, caterpillars, cobwebs, and these are not optical illusions. They really are there and slide on inner surface your eye.

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To understand where and how they appear, it is worth at least a little understanding of the anatomy of the eye.

Foreign bodies

The anterior convex part of the eye is the cornea. Behind it are the pupil - a dark dot in the center of the eye - and the iris, the colored edge around the pupil (a thin movable diaphragm with a pupil hole).

Between them is a small container with a jelly-like liquid, which is called in Latin humor aquosus or aqueous humor of the chambers of the eye.

Image copyright SPL Image caption As we get older, "flies" appear in our eyes - in a jelly-like fluid in front of the retina.

The vitreous body of the eye is a colorless mass, consisting mainly of water and having a jelly-like consistency.

Unlike the aqueous humor of the eye, the vitreous body never replenishes. You will die with the same amount of fluid in the vitreous humor of the eye as you were born with.

This means that if some foreign objects get into the vitreous body, for example, blood or other cells, then they will remain there.

When these small particles block the light passing through the eye, they cast small shadows on the retina. These shadows are what we perceive as flies in the eyes.

As we get older, some of the jelly-like substance naturally breaks down and becomes more fluid.

And when this happens, particles of mineral substances dissolved in water, scattered throughout the vitreous body of the eye, can stick together.

They can also project small shadows on the retina, which are perceived as flies.

Most researchers and practitioners view this symptom as a minor problem.

Judging by the reports of optometrists*, this is a fairly common occurrence. According to the results of one study conducted by British specialists, each optometrist sees an average of 14 patients per month who complain of flies in the eyes.

Another study used a smartphone app to determine how common the fly problem is. Of the 603 Android smartphone users, 446 or 74 percent reported seeing them.

However, only a third of the participants in the experiment complained that it had a detrimental effect on their vision.

Most researchers and practitioners view this symptom as a minor problem, as most people either get used to living with the flies or they eventually disappear on their own.

Risky treatment

However, in other cases, this phenomenon can lead to more serious suffering and damage to health, or it can be a harbinger of future problems.

For example, the sudden and profuse appearance of flies in older adults may be a sign of a condition known as posterior vitreous detachment or PVD.

OST can lead to retinal rupture and eventually blindness.

A recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that patients who presented to ophthalmologists with complaints of sudden onset of flies in the eyes were likely to suffer a retinal tear in 14% of cases.

Image copyright SPL Image caption The sudden appearance of flies in the eyes can mean serious problems.

This is a serious enough problem, since these patients had to "turn to ophthalmologists for an immediate examination."

However, for most people, flies in the eyes are not a problem.

Even so, a quick internet search will turn up a plethora of different treatments, from the rather absurd (yoga) to those that seem justified but require invasive intervention (surgery).

Of particular concern are those treatments that at first glance seem quite acceptable, for example, the use of a laser on a crystal of yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG or YAG laser) **.

This instrument is finding increasing use in ophthalmology, but has not yet received support or approval from the US FDA. food products and medicines.

Thus, scientists David Cendrowski and Mark Bronstein write in the journal Optometry that a "limited clinical study" is currently underway to study the possibility of using a YAG laser to treat this symptom.

If it turns out that the use of the YAG laser is safe, only a third of patients will expect "moderate" improvements in their condition.

A more acceptable procedure - for those patients who have so many "flies" that it impairs their vision - is called "vitrectomy".

It involves removing part or all of the vitreous humor of the eye and replacing the fluid in the eye with a saline solution.

But since vitrectomy surgery itself carries significant risks, including a high chance of retinal detachment and cataracts, this method is usually considered a last resort.

Many of us believe that the flies in the eyes are more of a hindrance, and not a pathology that requires treatment.

For most people, "the traditional treatment for eyeballs is only reassurance and enlightenment," Sendrowski and Bronstein write.

A study conducted in 2012 by Italian scientists emphasizes this fact: many of us think that flies in the eyes are more of a nuisance, and not a pathology that requires treatment.

Most people, like you and me, can see "flies" from time to time, especially when looking at a clear blue sky - in this case, they are especially noticeable.

"Flies" seem strange or confusing to us - until they begin to fade. Then they disappear from our field of vision.

Many people periodically notice the appearance of the so-called flies before their eyes. They can resemble a web, a worm, dots, lines, stars, threads. May appear in the form of flickering, flashing, being black, white color, transparent, shiny, cloudy. Often patients complain that something seems to be floating in the eye and they do not know the cause of this condition. Quite often, the symptoms are simply not noticed, and the question of why we see invisible flies before our eyes does not arise until the moment when this sign becomes a concomitant pathology of a disease.

Causes and treatment of flies in the eyes should be discussed with an ophthalmologist if such manifestations have become frequent and prolonged.

Causes of pathology

The causes of flies before the eyes can be directly related to diseases of the internal organs. The following factors can cause flies to flash.

It is important to know: black flies can also be the result of ophthalmic pathologies, white flies are a sign of sudden pressure drops.

Such violations should not be ignored, as they may indicate the onset of a serious illness. Therefore, early diagnosis increases the chance of a complete cure.

The first step will be to contact an ophthalmologist, who will determine the presence, examine the fundus and examine the eyeballs with a slit lamp.

If the doctor excludes the possibility of damage, the patient must additionally go through narrow specialists: an endocrinologist, an ophthalmologist. It will be mandatory to see a therapist, it is based on complaints and results general analyzes will be able to form a complete picture of the disease.

Methods of treatment

To get rid of pathology doctors use conservative therapy, laser correction and surgical intervention.

It must be remembered that the appearance of flies is not an independent disease, therefore, treatment should begin with the identification and elimination of the cause of their occurrence.

As a method designed to stop the destructive processes in the vitreous body, traditional healers recommend doing it regularly. Gently massage the eyeballs and the area around the eyes daily. The duration of the procedure is 10-15 minutes.

A useful tool home cooking are drops based on aloe juice and liquid honey in equal amounts. The composition is used twice a day, instilling 1 drop in each eye.

Alcohol infusion of 50 g of clover heads and 10 pcs. spices of cloves helps with vascular disorders of the visual apparatus. To prepare it, you need to add 150 ml of alcohol in dry raw materials, insist for a week and take 10 drops three times a day, preferably before meals.

Folk remedies will not cope with the disease, but they help slow down pathological processes, which plays an essential role in healing.

Preventive measures

Prevention of the appearance of flies before the eyes includes several points.

It is important to avoid stress and see a doctor in a timely manner when there are signs of any disease.

Flies in front of the eyes serve as a signal of the beginning of the development of internal pathologies. If their number constantly increases, does not go away for a long time and significantly affects vision, you should immediately contact a specialist.

Attention, only TODAY!

The visual effect in the form of flies before the eyes can appear for various reasons and in different ages. They are especially noticeable when looking at a white homogeneous surface or bright light. This pathology often observed in myopic, as well as the elderly.

It happens that these manifestations are reduced. But if the number and intensity of flies increases, the question arises what to do about it. There are some therapeutic measures that give a certain positive effect.

But, unfortunately, today there are no absolutely proven, effective and safe methods of getting rid of flies.

So people have to deal with it on their own. But to exclude a serious disease (which may not be associated with the eyes), a consultation with a doctor is required.

Causes of flies flickering

About the destruction of the vitreous body

The cavity between the retina of the eye and its lens is filled with a gel-like substance - the vitreous body. It consists of 99% water and 1% various substances (hyaluronic acid, collagen, etc.). In the normal state, the vitreous body is completely transparent due to the strict composition and structure of the molecules of the incoming substances.

Under the influence of various factors, the molecules break up into fragments, which qualitatively changes the composition and volume of the vitreous body. In its structure, particles are formed that do not have optical transparency.

This phenomenon is known in medicine as the destruction of the vitreous body. These particles are perceived by vision as flying flies.

If blood, medicine or other substance (which should not be in it) gets into the vitreous body, then a visual effect appears, as during destruction.

Destruction can develop in connection with the natural physiological aging of the body. From the age of 40, many people, to varying degrees, notice the occurrence of flying flies. But the age limit is relative. Flies can be observed at a young age.

Department of the vitreous body

Flying pathology can occur when the vitreous body moves away from the back of the eye. After such a movement, periodic flashes and flickers occur with an increase in the number of floating flies. These images appear due to the flow around the ring of the vitreous body of the optic nerve.

With age, the vitreous body shrinks, and this connection becomes weaker. The body moves freely in the inner space of the eye. It happens that it goes beyond the edges of the field of view.

Flies as a symptom of other diseases

They may occur when:

  • mechanical injuries of the eyes,
  • inflammatory processes in the eyes,
  • metabolic disorders (especially diabetes mellitus),
  • internal bleeding
  • changes blood pressure,
  • anemia (due to a decrease in the level of red blood cells and hemoglobin),
  • cervical osteochondrosis (blood flow is disturbed in the arteries of the spine that feed the brain),
  • some poisonings,
  • traumatic brain injury.

Therapeutic activities

Since swimming in front of the eyes of flies often serves as a symptom of a number of diseases, a reliable diagnosis is first of all necessary, followed by treatment of the identified disease.

Very rarely, flies pass by themselves. In most cases, intravitreal opacities move out of the visible zone but do not physically disappear. The doctor may not detect vision-threatening problems. Then treatment is not required, only psychological adaptation is needed. But often, in addition to psychological discomfort, people simply lose their sight.

Are there treatments for this pathology?

Drug therapy

To date, there is no information about medicines that would prove effective in eliminating existing flies or preventing new ones.

Some manufacturers of dietary supplements and medicines speculate on this problem, declaring their effectiveness in solving this problem.

Meanwhile, certain medications activate metabolic processes, which leads to the resorption of flies. These include, for example:

  • eye drops "Emoxipin 1%",
  • "Wobenzym", an enzyme preparation for internal use.

The scheme of resolving therapy involves:

  • per day, three times instillation into the affected eye drops 1 drop per month;
  • per day three times taking "Wobenzym" 5 tablets. The course is 2-4 weeks.

This therapy is supplemented with vitamin and mineral complexes for vision containing lutein.

If the retina is damaged

When damage to the retina is identified as the cause of the flies, this is eliminated by a laser beam or tissue freezing. The operation is performed under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis. By eliminating tears, retinal detachment is prevented.

Fighting flies surgically

There are some surgical methods to eliminate the destruction of the vitreous body:

  1. The vitreolysis procedure is performed with a VAG neodymium laser. The process consists in targeting opaque areas and crushing them into small particles that do not interfere with vision. This method has not found wide application due to serious side effects and little knowledge of the results.
  2. Vitrectomy, or removal of the vitreous body, all or part, along with which the flies are also removed. A balanced saline solution is placed in place of the vitreous body. This procedure is a risky surgical procedure. It can cause serious consequences:
  • retinal detachment.

Meanwhile, the effectiveness of vitrectomy is very high, and many patients are satisfied with the result. But, since the procedure is unsafe, it is performed in exceptional cases.

Thus, ophthalmology has not yet “grown up” to the level of an effective and at the same time safe solution to the problem with flies. It occurs in many people. But today there is no single tactic of treatment and measures to prevent this phenomenon.

What to do

Since a reliable remedy for flies has not yet been invented, you can try to deal with them yourself.

First step

The quality of the vitreous body is often interconnected with the general condition of the body. Therefore, you can start with the simplest and most obvious: the transition to healthy lifestyle life. If the pathology has not gone far, then this recommendation is quite enough to solve the problem.

Restructuring for a healthy life is carried out according to standard rules available to any person:

  • proper nutrition,
  • physical exercise,
  • giving up bad habits (smoking and alcohol).

When you need to see a doctor

In certain situations, you can not postpone visiting a doctor:

  • when a whole swarm of flies appears before the eyes with a blurry perception or darkening of any part of the field of vision;
  • if the flies arose after trauma to the head or eye.

Simple do-it-yourself tricks

When flies appear, you can resort to simple methods of getting rid of them:

  • Sit on a chair, straighten your back, head straight, look forward. With a sharp movement, look to the left and immediately to the right. Just move your eyes quickly from top to bottom. This gymnastics redistributes the fluid in the eyeball, after which the flies are removed from the edges of the field of view.
  • If something gets into your eyes, do not rub them. You just need to rinse them with clean water.

So, when flies appear before your eyes, you should:

  1. Consult with an ophthalmologist, and even better, with a retinologist - a specialist in fundus. The appearance of flies may be a sign of a disease that requires treatment. For example, vitreous hemorrhages, retinal detachments and ruptures.
  2. Drops and tablets should be used only as directed by a doctor.
  3. To lead a banal but very effective healthy life.
  4. Avoid touching, rubbing or scratching your eyes.
  5. Do eye exercises.

When watching TV, when working on a computer, clouding in the eyes or a slight veil may appear. There may also be a sensation of the formation of some kind of dashes, dots, flies or something similar. Such manifestations mainly bring inconvenience and stress to everyday life, and only in rare cases are symptoms of serious illnesses. For self-complacency, you need to see a doctor. An ophthalmologist is a specialist who deals with eye diseases. The main reason for the appearance of "flies" before the eyes is the destruction of the vitreous body.

Flies before the eyes, causes

Every person at least once faced with such manifestations. But that's why the flies appear before the eyes more often - this is a more serious question.
Consider first of all the structure of the eyeball itself. The space between the retina and the lens is filled with a transparent substance in the form of jelly, this is the vitreous body. It mainly consists of water (98-99%), and only 1% are salts, ascorbic and hyaluronic acids, proteins (up to 1.36 ppm, the predominant part is albumin) and many other substances associated with each other. The eyeball is always in a state of swelling.

Destruction is a change in the state of the vitreous body, it can manifest itself in wrinkling, liquefaction and detachment. Such changes may be partial or complete. When liquefied, voids appear in the vitreous body. They are filled with liquid and scraps of fibers. There may also be films different thickness and density. As a result, the volume of the vitreous body itself decreases, the vitreoretinal joints are stretched, which leads to their rupture, flies appear before the eyes, the causes of which can be very diverse.

But usually flies flying in the eyes are not at all dangerous, and after a while they disappear by themselves. Similar changes are most often observed in people of age.

Causes of flies before the eyes

To date, there is no exact answer why exactly these problems occur, but there are a number of reasons responsible for this, namely:

Jumps in blood pressure (low or high). This leads to insufficient blood supply to the vessels of the eyeball.
. Bleeding inside the eyeball. White flies before the eyes can serve as a signal of a system malfunction.
. Osteochondrosis in the cervical spine. There is also a breach here.

blood circulation in the vessels of the spine that feed the brain.
. Traumatic brain injury. White dots signal possible injuries or the consequences of a brain injury.
. Food poisoning. nervous system toxins affect the optic nerve. As a result, blurred images and even bifurcation may occur.
. Pregnancy. On later dates the manifestation of such symptoms indicates the danger of eclampsia. This can adversely affect the health of the mother and child.
. Entry into the vitreous body of drugs or blood. In old age, the number of drugs taken increases, and their absorption and removal from the body is significantly reduced.
. Psychological stress. A suspicious person can simply fantasize the symptoms and believe in them.

Diseases that can cause flies

When waking up from sleep, most people are faced with the appearance of flies before their eyes, as well as when they are in the dark or fixing their eyes on a sheet of paper. Looking at fire for a long time can also cause such symptoms. But with relaxation of the optic nerve, these problems disappear.

There are a number of diseases in which flies appear quite often. Here are some of them:

Anemia (anemia). With this disease, there is a low content of red blood cells in the blood.

Vitreous detachment in the posterior region.

Destruction of the vitreous body (clouding of the fibers of the vitreous body).

Uveitis is inflammation of the choroid of the eye.

Rupture of the retina (violation of the integrity of the retina).

Eye migraine - the disappearance of the image in some parts of the field of view.

Hypertension - high blood pressure, in which there is a violation of vascular tone.

Diabetes mellitus is an endocrine disease in which there is a lack of the hormone insulin.

With insufficient blood flow to the brain, dizziness and general weakness. This is the result of low blood pressure, while people have white flying flies. Another such inconvenience can occur with a sharp change in height. For example, when jumping out of bed.

If white flies appear often enough, you should seek the advice of a neurologist and a cardiologist. An examination of the brain, as well as blood circulation in it, will help determine exactly why these symptoms occur, and choose the right course of treatment to permanently get rid of the flies.

Black flies appearing in front of the eyes during heavy physical exertion indicate hypertension. And if they occur in Everyday life, it is necessary to consult a cardiologist, because this indicates violations in the work of the cardiovascular system and the risk of a stroke or myocardial infarction.

In what cases it is necessary to see a doctor

If black flies before your eyes began to appear more often, then an urgent visit to an ophthalmologist is necessary:

With an increase in the number of flies and with light flashes.
. With the appearance of discomfort, accompanied by certain inconveniences and panic conditions.
. When injured.
. With the regular appearance of flies after the age of 50 years.
. With an increase in the number of flies against the background of already existing myopia. Myopia is nearsightedness (reduced distance vision, the eyeball has the shape of an oval).


Flies before the eyes, treatment and prevention

Most often, flies in front of the eyes are not dangerous and do not require specific treatment. It is enough to rest and drink a course of vitamins. But it is completely impossible to exclude the appearance of flies. Over time, they may appear again, may decrease, may disappear for a while. There are several treatments for this disease.

Drug therapy

Modern medicine does not have drugs that can eliminate this problem. There are drugs that stimulate the metabolic process, leading to the resorption of flies. These are drops "Emoxipin" and the drug "Wobenzym". A standard scheme is used: Emoxipin is instilled 1 drop 3 times a day.

Laser correction - 5 times a day for a month in the affected eye. In parallel, take the drug "Wobenzym" 5 tablets 3 times a day for 14-28 days. Additional measure in this case, there will be the use of a complex of vitamins for vision.

This method is relevant for damage to the retina. It is a treatment with a laser beam or freezing of the tissues of the optic nerve.

Surgical method

It consists in replacing the vitreous body with a saline solution. Surgical treatment is rarely used.

To prevent the development of destruction of the vitreous body, it is necessary to carry out monthly preventive procedures.

Prevention of the appearance of flies before the eyes

In a healthy body, all organs and systems work smoothly and smoothly. All preventive measures are aimed at improving the general condition of a person. To do this, you must follow the following diet and exercise routine:

Balanced diet. The diet should contain all the proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and vitamins necessary for the normal functioning of the body. If possible, it is necessary to apply separate nutrition, observe the water balance.

Permissible physical activity. For every age there are a number of physical exercises that help maintain a cheerful spirit. Even in old age, you can take walks, do breathing exercises and thereby keep your body in good shape. Static loads have a beneficial effect on all internal organs of a person. And the state of the vitreous body of the eye directly depends on the general condition of the human body.

Quitting smoking and alcohol is another component that ensures the normal functioning of the body.

Finally

Whether it's just the flickering of flies in front of your eyes or a constant phenomenon that occurs throughout the day, it is worth contacting a specialist and undergoing a full examination in order to calm yourself or undergo the proper course of treatment.

Flies before the eyes is a process that occurs in the vitreous body of the eye. By itself, this phenomenon is completely harmless and does not affect visual acuity.

Only in the case of a large clouding, when a veil of flies appears before the eyes, this can cause a slight dimming of vision, in other cases it only causes discomfort and irritation.

A lot of people eventually just get used to it and stop paying attention to this phenomenon.

Each person who encounters this problem describes it in his own way. Some people have flies flying in front of their eyes, which can be black, gray, white or transparent and look completely different, for someone it’s like a curtain in front of their eyes.

Disturbing points become distinctly visible if you look at a monochrome surface or at a bright light.

This process, which manifests itself to a small extent, is not pathological in nature and may be associated with age-related changes or myopia. However, very often multi-colored dots and a veil before the eyes begin to disturb a person very much.

This indicates the presence of any serious illness. In this case, such a violation should not be neglected and it is better to contact a neurologist or ophthalmologist as soon as possible.

Features of obsessive "insects"

The disorder is characterized by the following symptoms:

  • flies move in accordance with the movement of the eyes;
  • it is impossible to focus on a certain fly, because the cloudiness passes, in fact, the point does not disappear, but simply moves to another area of ​​​​the vitreous body;
  • flies fly before the eyes of the most different - they are white, black, transparent or grayish;
  • in shape, they can be in the form of a dot, filiform lines, stripes, spots, cobwebs.

Find out the main reasons from a neurologist

Most often, the reasons why flies fly before the eyes are neurological in nature:

Other reasons include:

  • diabetes;
  • internal bleeding;
  • eye infection;
  • intraocular hemorrhage;
  • pregnancy;
  • complications after taking medications.

Diagnosis of violation

Diagnosis is carried out in order to determine whether the patient has impaired eye function or whether a serious illness has become the cause of the flies.

The diagnostic process consists in consultation and instrumental research methods. Among them: ophthalmoscopy and examination of the fundus. Consultation with an ophthalmologist is necessary in such cases:

  • flickering before the eyes becomes frequent, flashes occur;
  • flies increase in size and number;
  • a veil before the eyes appeared after an operation or injury;
  • pain appeared in the eyes;
  • arose - double vision.

If the doctor does not detect any eye disorders, the patient is referred for examination to the therapist. If the flies are combined with neurological disorders, such as headache, numbness, weakness, nausea, in this case, you can immediately go to a consultation with a neurologist.

Therapy depends on the provocative factor

Since there are a lot of factors due to which flies fly before the eyes, the treatment will be chosen by a specialist in accordance with the root cause, which causes flickering in the eyes:

Among the surgical methods, one can distinguish such as: vitreolysis and vitrectomy:

  1. Vitreolysis performed using a VAG laser. As a result of the laser beam, large opaque molecules are crushed into small ones, thus reducing the likelihood of unpleasant visual effects.
  2. Vitrectomy- this is a partial removal of the vitreous body with replacement with a saline solution. This procedure is not safe, it can lead to very serious complications, including cataracts, retinal detachment and eye hemorrhage.

Effective medicines, which activate metabolic processes, as a result of which the flies dissolve, are the preparations Wobenzym and Emoksipin.

Eye exercises

If the flies are not a symptom of retinal and vitreous pathologies, but arise due to eye fatigue, eye gymnastics for relaxation will be very effective.

The exercises are very simple and take only a few minutes.

  • you need to sit straight and look in front of you, then sharply shift your gaze to one side, and then to the other side, then up and down. Repeat the movement several times;
  • blink for some time;
  • make rotational eye movements about 10 times in one direction and in the other.

Such exercises affect the correct redistribution of fluid in the eyeball.

Folk remedies

A good auxiliary means of conservative therapy will be treatment with folk methods:

  1. It is very useful in the prevention of this disorder. It allows you to normalize metabolic processes in the vitreous body, due to the improvement of blood and lymph flow. You need to massage the edges of the eye orbits and directly the eyeball.
  2. It will also be useful honey drops. They are made on the basis of honey, juice and pulp of aloe. The resulting solution is used as eye drops. You need to bury your eyes in the morning, afternoon and evening, two drops each.
  3. Also good help in the fight against eye flickering has propolis. It is necessary to prepare a water-based tincture and instill eyes three times a day.

Bee products have always been famous for their healing properties, however, do not forget about the danger of self-treatment and before carrying out medical procedures, you must first consult with a specialist.

In order to prevent

To get rid of such unpleasant symptoms, you need to carefully monitor the state of health and not neglect such important rules:

The implementation of all these simple instructions will avoid the development of serious pathology.


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