According to the World Health Organization, about 39 million people worldwide are blind, of which 51% are caused by cataracts, the leading cause of blindness in the world. The most common cataract is senile cataract, which is usually found to have cataract symptoms in people over 50 years old, while diabetics and deep myopia are more likely to develop cataract symptoms earlier. If the cataract becomes mature, it will bring a series of complications to the patient, such as: glaucoma, uveitis, etc., and even blindness, with serious consequences. Therefore, patients will undergo cataract surgery, treat cataracts with intraocular lenses, and restore clear vision to the eyes through treatment.

What is Cataract?

Cataract is caused by the transparent lens used to focus in the eye becomes cloudy due to old age or disease, and the lens functions like a camera lens, helping the eye to focus accurately, so that the image can be focused on the retina to form a clear image. The lens is made of proteins and has the function of regulating light. When the lens becomes cloudy, the transparency decreases, and light cannot pass through, resulting in decreased vision and cataracts.

What are the symptoms of cataracts?

The symptoms of cataract are relatively easy to identify compared with other eye diseases, such as dry eye, and the most noticeable symptoms generally include reduced reading ability, which is mainly caused by blurred vision, and there will be photophobia problems, patients are also prone to glare at night, or symptoms such as loss of color and contrast resolution. The symptoms of cataract can be subdivided into early cataract symptoms and late cataract symptoms:

Initial cataract symptoms

• photophobia
• Monocular diplopia
• Myopia suddenly spiked geometrically
• Presbyopia lightened

Late cataract symptoms

• Vision modeling
• See things glare
• The image color becomes dull

Why do I get cataracts?

aging

The main cause of cataract is due to aging of the eyes due to aging, which is also known as "senile cataract", which is caused by the aging and decline of the lens. In medicine, according to the opacity location of the lens, such cataracts are subdivided into three categories: posterior subcapsular opacity, nuclear opacity, and cortical opacity.

Caused by other diseases

Also known as "secondary cataracts", it is caused by surgery, steroid medications, or other health problems such as glaucoma, diabetes, intraocular inflammation, and high myopia.

Caused by trauma

Trauma is also a cause of cataracts. When the eye has been subjected to strong impact, puncture injury, or has been subjected to high heat, chemical burns, etc., the crystal fibers are misaligned, and lesions such as turbidity and hardening may occur. However, some patients do not develop cataracts immediately, but gradually appear later.

Open surgery to treat cataracts is the only way out

At present, open surgery is the only treatment for cataracts. The cataract surgery process involves removing the cloudy lens and implanting an intraocular lens to treat the cataract and improve vision. Generally, cataract surgery is performed under local anesthesia, and doctors use a microscope in the operating room to remove the originally cloudy lens and implant an intraocular lens suitable for cataract patients using ultrasound emulsification technology. Since this is a minimally invasive procedure, the surgical incision will be relatively thin and stitches will not necessarily be required, so the wound recovery time is relatively short. Cataract surgery is safe and complications are uncommon.

However, since everyone's condition and needs are different, and intraocular lenses are not as easy to replace as glasses, you should understand with your doctor before undergoing cataract surgery, and then choose the cataract intraocular lens that suits you.

Before undergoing cataract surgery, the patient decides which intraocular lens to choose for cataracts. Patients can decide which intraocular lens for cataract treatment can bring the best results for patients based on their overall eye health, such as dry eye, corneal astigmatism or macular health, etc., and finally undergo cataract surgery.

At present, there are three main types of intraocular lenses available for cataract surgery:

• Unifocal intraocular lens

This is a commonly used intraocular lens in cataract patients and is also suitable for all patients. However, this intraocular lens only has a single focal length, and if the single-focal IOL lens implanted with the long-distance viewing function improves farsightedness, it may be necessary to wear reading glasses when performing close activities such as reading or playing sparrows.

• All-round wide view of intraocular lenses

Lengthen the eye focus, solve the shortcomings of the previous multifocal length intraocular lens that can only see far and close things, and fill the mid-distance vision.

• Trifocal intraocular lens

This intraocular lens is suitable for cataract and presbyopia patients, it is a multifunctional intraocular lens with far, medium and near full vision, and after surgery, cataract patients will have less dependence on glasses. However, cataract patients may have visual disturbances such as halos and glare after surgery, so patients may need more time to adapt.

In addition, the new generation of continuous intraocular lenses launched in recent years provides a wide continuous field of view from a distance to a reading distance of 33 cm, eliminating the visual gap existing in trifocal technology and other multifocal technologies, allowing patients to experience continuous high-contrast vision from far to near even under low-light conditions, greatly reducing the dependence of cataract patients on glasses. Its UV light filtering technology also helps to reduce glare and halo intensity when driving at night.

Many patients who undergo cataract surgery to treat cataracts will question the duration of the IOL. In fact, current IOLs are made of biocompatible materials such as acrylic or silicone. This means that they do not react with the human body anaphylaxis. For more than 100 years, no cases of aging intraocular lenses affecting vision have been found. So, don't worry about intraocular lens life. IOLs live longer than anyone can live, and rare IOLs change and need to be replaced.

When should I have cataract surgery?

Because when cataracts become mature and worsen, there is a chance to bring a series of complications to patients, such as glaucoma, uveitis, etc., so early treatment should be received cataract surgery. Moreover, under the current medical practice, patients do not need to wait for the symptoms of cataract complications before surgery. Cataract surgery can be considered when vision gradually deteriorates and vision is insufficient to cope with daily work or daily needs. After the patient's vision loss is detected by the nurse, after examination and discussion with the doctor, the decision can be made when to undergo surgery to treat cataracts.

If you wait until the advanced cataract for surgery, the lens will expand or even dissolve, which will bring a series of complications to the patient, such as glaucoma, uveitis, which can lead to irreversible blindness, and advanced cataract surgery is more difficult and vision recovery is slower.

Care after cataract surgery

Patients may have glasses, sunglasses or eye protection for one week after cataract surgery. Do not wipe your eyes with your hands to avoid inflammation of the wound. The eye area can also be gently rubbed with disinfectant cotton or clean paper towels to avoid infection. Normal movement after routine cataract surgery without bed rest. However, complex cases such as trauma and concomitant glaucoma may require restriction of activities.

In terms of diet, abstinence is not required after surgery, but patients should reduce their intake of irritating foods. For people with allergies, foods with high protein content should also be avoided.

Do not swim, do strenuous exercise, and avoid lifting or carrying heavy objects over 30 pounds for one month after surgery. On weekdays, when the head is bent low, be careful to avoid collisions.

Have you ever tried to work for a while, but you feel that your eyes are dry and itchy, and you can't help blinking, even if you close your eyes and rest? This may be a symptom of dry eyes! Want to improve dry eyes, think that just eye drops, artificial tears, or reduce the TV and computer screens, can improve dry eye symptoms from the root cause of the disease? If you think it won't take long for dry eyes to heal on their own, you're very wrong! It may be that these methods will only make the symptoms of dry eye more and more serious.

What is dry eye?

Dry eye is a common eye disease, with 3 out of 10 Hong Kong people having dry eye. It occurs when the eye can't produce enough tears, or when the tears aren't working properly, which can make the eyes feel dry and itchy. The cause of dry eye syndrome is mainly because with age, tear secretion decreases, clinical data show that by the age of 65, the secretion of the lipid layer in tears is reduced by 60% compared with 18 years old, tears evaporate faster, so dry eye patients themselves are mostly older groups.

How does the composition of tears affect eye health?

Before we know how to improve dry eye symptoms, we should know how tears can do in eye protection. In addition to keeping the cornea moist and providing optical properties, tears can also provide oxygen to the cornea, and also have the effect of washing away impurities and foreign bodies entering the eye, while the antibodies and enzymes can resist foreign bacteria and protect the health of the cornea.

The tears on the surface of the eye are made up of three layers, each of which plays a specific role, and if there is a problem with one of the layers, the tear cannot moisturize the eye completely, causing dry eye syndrome.

First, the grease layer

The outermost layer is the oil layer, which is lubricated by the secretory glands under the eyelashes, which not only prevents the aqueous components from evaporating too quickly, but also increases the surface tension to maintain the stability of the tear layer while providing lubrication of the eyelids.

Second, the water layer

The aqueous layer is the intermediate layer, the main component of tears, produced by the lacrimal glands. It is an important component that provides nutrients to corneal epithelial cells and contains anti-infective substances that protect the eye from bacterial infection.

Third, the mucin layer

The innermost layer is the mucin layer, secreted by conjunctival cells, and its main function is to contact the cornea and conjunctival epithelium, providing lubrication and ensuring that the water layer adequately wets the cornea.

The composition and function of these three layers of tear fluid must be kept adequate, and it needs to be evenly distributed over the eyes by blinking to keep the eyes comfortable. If one of the layers is undersecreted or unevenly distributed, the eyes will experience a feeling of dryness, sometimes even foreign body eye pain, tingling or temporary hazyness, and may even cause dry eyes.

What are the subjective symptoms of dry eye?

Have you ever felt dry eyes, itchy, foreign body sensation, photophobia, and blurred vision? Or do you feel that the tears in your eyes are less secreted than ordinary people? However, do these symptoms mean dry eyes?

In fact, the symptoms of dry eyes are not a disease, but eye discomfort caused by external factors. As for xerophthalmia, most patients will have the following subjective symptoms, including:

• Dry eyes
• Foreign body sensation
• Burning sensation
• Pins and needles
• Itchy eyes
• photophobia
• jealous
• Fatigue easily
• Blurred vision
• Vision fluctuations

The reason for the above symptoms is that patients with dry eye have poor tear layer stability and are prone to many of the symptoms mentioned above. The reason is that the discomfort of dry eye stimulates the lacrimal glands, causing them to secrete a large amount of reflex tears, while making the patient very sensitive to wind and light, and often temporary blurred vision.

How to objectively tell if you have dry eye?

TO ACCURATELY DIAGNOSE WHETHER YOU HAVE DRY EYE, THE MAIN THING IS, OF COURSE, BASED ON A SERIES OF SYMPTOMS AND TEST RESULTS. HOWEVER, IF YOU ARE SIMPLY SUSPICIOUS AND WANT TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE DRY EYE, YOU MAY WISH TO SELF-TEST FOR DRY EYE THROUGH AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED OCULAR SURFACE DISEASE INDEX (OSDI).

First, the eye sensation in the past week

	anytime	Most of the time	About half the time	Occasionally	not
Dry	4	3	2	1	0
photophobia	4	3	2	1	0
Redness with bloodshots	4	3	2	1	0
ache	4	3	2	1	0
Foreign body sensation	4	3	2	1	0
Thick discharge	4	3	2	1	0
Blurred vision	4	3	2	1	0
Poor vision	4	3	2	1	0

2. The following activities have been affected by eye discomfort in the past week

	anytime	Most of the time	About half the time	Occasionally	not	not applicable
Read	4	3	2	1	0	NA
Use a mobile phone/computer	4	3	2	1	0	NA
Night driving	4	3	2	1	0	NA
Watch TV	4	3	2	1	0	NA

3. In the past week, the eyes have not felt comfortable in the following conditions

	anytime	Most of the time	About half the time	Occasionally	not	not applicable
When the wind blows (eyes are afraid of the wind)	4	3	2	1	0	NA
Dry environment	4	3	2	1	0	NA
Air-conditioned room	4	3	2	1	0	NA

Dry eye syndrome scoring method

OSDI = (sum of scores x 25) / sum of answers

OSDI SCORE	Symptoms.
0~12	No, normal
13~22	Mild dry eyes
23~32	Moderate dry eye
33~100	Severe dry eye

If you do this self-test and find that your score is about 13 points or higher, you may need to seek a more accurate test. To confirm the diagnosis of dry eye, ophthalmologists usually evaluate it with an ocular tear film analyzer (OSA) or a tear secretion test (Schirmer's test).

1. EYE SURFACE TEAR FILM ANALYZER (OSA)

THE SURFACE TEAR FILM ANALYZER (OSA) IS AN ADVANCED EXAMINATION METHOD THAT ACCURATELY DETECTS ALL ASPECTS OF THE EYE, INCLUDING THE STRUCTURAL FUNCTION OF THE TARSAL LINE, THE THICKNESS AND ANALYSIS OF THE TEAR FILM OIL LAYER, TEAR RUPTURE TIME, TEAR RIVER HEIGHT, AUTOMATIC BLINK RECORDING, AND QUANTIFICATION OF GLAND DISRUPTION.

Tear secretion test (Schirmer's test)

Schirmer's test is a common method to measure tear secretion, a special filter paper is placed on the lower eyelid for about 5 minutes, according to the wetness of the filter paper can know the basic secretion of tears, the normal value should be more than 10 mm. The tear film rupture time refers to the time when the tear film completely ruptures after the patient blinks, and the normal value should be more than 10 seconds.

According to the above criteria, if the patient has only eye symptoms, but there are no changes in tear secretion during eye examination, it is dry eye. If it is only a simple dry eye, it can be relieved after ordering eye drops, and it is not a dry eye syndrome, it may just be a condition of visual fatigue, such as temporary eye discomfort after reading books for a long time, reading the computer, dry eyes, photophobia and tears, blurred vision and other phenomena.

What causes dry eyes?

There are many causes of dry eye, mainly related to the state of the tear film and the function of the lacrimal glands, including insufficient secretion of tears, or poor quality of tears, so dry eye syndrome can be divided into two categories:

• Dehydrated dry eye
• Evaporative type of dry eye syndrome with oil deficiency

Many people mistakenly think that dry eyes are dehydration, avoiding dry eyes can improve dry eyes, but in fact, the lipid layer of the outer layer of the eye can prevent the evaporation of the tear film, and the lipid layer secretes clear oil by the meibomian glands, locking the tear film formed on the surface of the protective eyeball, so that the tear fluid is not easy to evaporate and keep the eyes moist. When the oil secreted by the patient is thick or even solidified, it is easy to cause tears to evaporate quickly, which in turn makes the eyes feel dry, which is also the cause of dry eyes. Therefore, the cause of dry eye syndrome is not necessarily water shortage, but also oil deficiency, that is, the cause of dry eye syndrome can be subdivided into four types: insufficient secretion of water layer, imperfect secretion of oil layer, uneven distribution of tear film, and improper secretion of mucin layer.

First, the secretion of the water layer is insufficient

Insufficient secretion of the water layer is the most common cause of dry eyes. This may be due to the reduced function of the tear glands due to aging, and women are also prone to dry eyes after menopause, which may be related to changes in hormone secretion in the body. In addition, some autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus), blood diseases (lymphoma, leukemia), trauma, infection, autonomic nervous disorders, long-term use of certain eye drops or drugs, etc. can also cause insufficient tear secretion. Long-term wearing of contact lenses can also affect the secretion of tears, because contact lenses reduce the sensitivity of the cornea, reduce tear secretion, and dry eyes will also occur.

Second, the secretion of oil layer is not perfect

Inadequate oil secretion is also a common cause of dry eyes. This is usually due to eyelid disease causing poor function of the eyelid sebaceous glands, which in turn affects the oil layer of the outer layer of the tear film, so that the tear cannot be effectively maintained on the surface of the eyeball, resulting in dry eye syndrome.

Third, the tear film is unevenly distributed

Excessive evaporation of tears and uneven distribution of tear film are also causes of dry eyes. Eyelid disease can lead to poor eyelid closure, excessive evaporation of tears. In addition, prolonged concentration on driving, staring at the TV, using the computer and other activities will reduce the number of blinks, which in turn will affect the distribution of tears. Prolonged work in an air-conditioned room or in a hot and dry environment may also affect the stability of the tear film, resulting in dry eyes.

Fourth, the mucin layer is secreted improperly

THE MUCIN LAYER IS THE INNERMOST LAYER OF THE TEAR FILM, WHICH IS SECRETED BY CONJUNCTIVAL CELLS AND HAS A LUBRICATING EFFECT TO MAINTAIN AN EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF TEARS ON THE SURFACE OF THE EYE. VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY, CHRONIC CONJUNCTIVITIS OR PEMPHIGOID DISEASES CAN LEAD TO INSUFFICIENT MUCIN SECRETION, WHICH IN TURN AFFECTS THE STABILITY OF TEARS. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE EYES ARE EXPOSED TO CHEMICALS OR HARMFUL SUBSTANCES, IT CAN LEAD TO DAMAGE TO CONJUNCTIVAL CELLS, WHICH IN TURN AFFECTS THE NORMAL SECRETORY FUNCTION OF THE MUCIN LAYER.

Who is at high risk of dry eye?

Dry eye syndrome has many causes, from age, living environment, autoimmune diseases and daily habits.

1. People over 50 years old

Aging is one of the main causes of dry eye, as aging lacrimal gland function and hormonal imbalance can lead to insufficient tear production, and between the ages of 50 and 55 is at high risk for dry eye.

Second, long-term wear of contact lenses

When using contact lenses for a long time, it may interfere with the normal secretion and distribution of tears, and it is easy to produce dry eye syndrome, especially soft contact lenses, wearing watery soft contact lenses such as eyes is like putting a sponge that is very absorbent in a place with water, it will suck away all the nearby water.

Third, long-term use of electronic products

Long-term use of electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets reduces the frequency of blinking, which is easy to cause insufficient tear secretion and prone to dry eyes.

4. Driving for a long time

Air conditioning and ventilation systems in vehicles dry out the air, which in turn accelerates the evaporation of tears, leading to dry and uncomfortable eyes. At the same time, staring ahead for a long time and paying attention to traffic conditions will also keep the eyes focused for a long time, reduce the number of blinks, and further increase the risk of dry eyes.

5. Unhealthy eating habits

Omega-3 fatty acids are important for maintaining healthy tear production and reducing eye inflammation. When a diet deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, such as a low intake of fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts, increases the risk of dry eye.

6. Patients with chronic diseases or eye injuries

Studies have found that people with conditions such as diabetes, glaucoma, thyroid disease and high blood pressure are more likely than others to develop dry eye syndrome because these chronic diseases may affect the production or composition of tears, which can lead to dry and uncomfortable eyes. In addition, if the eye has been injured in the past, such as trauma or surgery, it may lead to decreased or damaged tear gland function, because the repair process after an eye injury affects the secretion of tears and the protective layer on the surface of the eye, thereby increasing the risk of dry eye.

What are some ways to improve dry eyes?

Many patients want to know how long it will take for dry eye symptoms to get better and what can be done to improve dry eye symptoms immediately. However, to improve dry eye, it depends on the symptoms and the extent of the condition of the individual patient. At present, most of the medical profession will adopt artificial tears, autologous serum, thermal pulse therapy, pulsed light therapy and other methods to help patients improve dry eye syndrome.

1. Artificial tears

Patients with mild symptoms can improve dry eye syndrome by supplementing traditional artificial tears as a treatment method, including liquid type, gel type and ointment type, so as to improve dry eye syndrome. The use of artificial tears can reduce dry eye symptoms, avoid corneal damage, and maintain the smooth surface of the eyeball. However, sometimes the effect of artificial tears may not improve immediately and significantly, and most people with dry eye syndrome take longer to improve. However, depending on the individual, some patients may only take a few days, but more dry eye patients will take longer to improve, which may take weeks or even longer.

Second, autologous serum

In recent years, autologous serum has been found to contain components closer to tear fluid, so it has begun to be used in different ocular surface diseases, including the improvement of more severe dry eye patients. When artificial tears do not relieve symptoms, your ophthalmologist may recommend using autologous serum eye drops. However, the production of autologous serum eye drops is complicated, which requires the patient's blood to be drawn, then centrifuged, isolated serum, and finally made into eye drops of appropriate concentration and frozen in aliquots. These serums contain growth factors that have anti-inflammatory and healing effects. A single blood draw can usually make 6 to 10 eye drops, and because they do not contain preservatives, care must be taken to avoid contamination of eye drops, and it will take longer than most treatments, but it can also improve the symptoms of dry eye syndrome and allow patients to live a comfortable life again.

3. Thermal pulsation therapy

Some eye conditions are more severe and can be treated with Lipidflow. By using the instrument, warm at 40°C for 12 minutes, and massage the meibomian glands with regular pulsation, soften and unblock the blocked meibomian glands, improve dry eye symptoms, and avoid further atrophy caused by meibomian gland blockage, thereby improving eye health.

4. Pulsed light therapy

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is suitable for all levels of dry eye and can open up blocked tarsal plates, help normalize oil production, and reduce tear evaporation. The number of treatments usually takes 3 to 4 times, and the dry eye will gradually improve.

Are dry eye care methods effective?

To improve eye fatigue and dry eye syndrome, many people will choose supplemental health foods, such as lutein. However, although lutein can help filter blue light and prevent retinopathy, it does not help much to improve dry eye syndrome.

In addition, many people think that dry eyes can be cured with eye drops. However, eye drops can only temporarily relieve symptoms, and excessive use of eye drops can hinder the natural production of tears in the eyes, leading to dry eyes.

How can dry eyes be prevented or improved?

Instead of trying the above methods casually, it is better to protect your eye health and stay away from dry eyes through correct eye habits and avoiding bad habits.

First, the correct eye habits

When using electronic devices regularly, working or reading, you should take regular breaks from your eyes. One of the widely recommended methods is the 20/20/20 Eye Protection Rule, which rests your eyes for 20 seconds every 20 minutes while shifting your gaze to a distance of about 20 feet (about 6 meters) away from you. This helps reduce the stress associated with prolonged close use of the eyes and helps keep the eyes healthy.

Second, maintain a good environment

When working or resting indoors, special attention should be paid to the humidity in the air to avoid the adverse effects of too dry an environment on the eyes. In addition, we should also avoid direct exposure to the direct blowing airflow of the fan or air conditioner and adjust the angle of the fan or air conditioner to avoid blowing directly into the eye area or, where possible, away from direct contact with the airflow.

3. Supplement antioxidant nutrients

Antioxidant nutrients are essential nutrients that protect the eyes, which need light to become imaging. Consuming foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, walnuts, and flaxseed, can reduce inflammation and stabilize the tear film. At the same time, consuming foods rich in vitamins A and C, such as carrots, oranges and kiwifruits, can help fight free radical damage and protect eye tissue.

4. Supplement anti-inflammatory phytochemicals

Dry eye is often associated with inflammation in the eye, and anti-inflammatory substances can help reduce inflammation in the eye, reduce discomfort, and promote the repair of eye tissue, thereby improving dry eye syndrome. Many phytochemicals have anti-inflammatory effects, such as quercetin, turmeric, anthocyanins, eugenol, etc., which can help improve dry eyes.

Floaters are sometimes annoying, people with floaters will see "black spots" floating in their eyes, not painful or itchy and unable to rub open, when you look directly at them, they will disappear in an instant. Floaters come in different shapes, such as black dots, lines, circles, ovals, tadpoles, etc., especially when looking at a bright and clean background, it is easier to spot its presence. Floaters are a degenerative disease of the eyes, mild patients in general, as long as they are used to coexisting with black spots and floating objects in the eyes, daily life is not affected, they do not need to receive floaters treatment, but if the black spots or floating objects in the eyes are too large or too much, floaters suddenly attack or flash, so that vision is damaged, you should seek improvement methods, find an ophthalmologist for the treatment of floaters for consultation and surgery or laser treatment of floaters, otherwise, the longer it drags on, the more serious or blind!

What is floaters?

Floaters are medically a phenomenon of vitreous degeneration of the eye. The vitreous is a transparent gel located behind the lens and before the retina. Normally, the vitreous fills the entire vitreous cavity to support the shape of the eyeball. But with age, myopia and other problems, the vitreous will liquefy and shrink, forming turbid fibers, and these fibers will float around in the vitreous, when the light refracts these fibers, the patient will feel that there are black spots in the eyes, which is the precursor of floaters.

Floaters are medically a phenomenon of vitreous degeneration of the eye. The vitreous is a transparent gel located behind the lens and before the retina. Normally, the vitreous fills the entire vitreous cavity to support the shape of the eyeball. But with age, myopia and other problems, the vitreous will liquefy and shrink, forming turbid fibers, and these fibers will float around in the vitreous, when the light refracts these fibers, the patient will feel that there are black spots in the eyes, which is the precursor of floaters.

Who is most likely to develop floaters?

Floaters usually become more common with age, so older people are more likely to have dark spots in their eyes. But in addition to age, other factors that may increase the risk of floaters include myopia, history of eye surgery, eye trauma or eye inflammation. According to clinical studies, high-risk groups for floaters include:

• Middle-aged and elderly
• People with high myopia
• People with hypertension/diabetes
• Have had eye surgery
• Blows to the head, e.g. car accidents, divers
• Other eye problems, such as eye inflammation

However, most floaters are benign, such as because of old vitreous degeneration, or excessive eye fatigue, there may be symptoms of floaters, as long as there are more black spots in the eyes, and the position is fixed, do not worry too much.

Conversely, if suddenly there are a large number of dark spots in the eye that have affected the field of vision or there is a flash, it may be vitreous peeling, resulting in pulling the retina to the hole or even falling off. This condition must be investigated immediately, for improvement, or for floaters.

Causes of floaters

The causes of floaters can be broadly divided into three types, namely physiological, degenerative and pathological.

• Physiological

About 80% of floaters are physiological. Physiological floaters usually occur in people under the age of 40 or people who have been using their eyes for a long time, and most people will see black spots in the eyes, which are vitreous impurities that usually do not affect vision, and do not need to be treated immediately for floaters, and will disappear on their own over time

• Degenerative

As we age, the vitreous body of the eyeball, like other organs in the body, gradually deteriorates. In this degeneration process, the vitreous body will shrink to form fine fibers, these fibers will float in the glass, when the light enters the eye, and these impurities refract, it is the black spots in our eyes.

• Pathological

Pathological floaters are caused by eye disease or systemic vascular disease. The so-called eye disease refers to the retina under the pull or degeneration of the process of the retina in the process of tearing or degeneration, resulting in vitreous hemorrhage, and even retinal peeling, resulting in visual impairment, and in the worst case, permanent blindness. In addition, systemic vascular diseases, such as eye stroke, diabetes, hypertension or macular degeneration, if not paid attention to and actively treated, may also appear pathological floaters, patients should seek to improve floaters as soon as possible.

Complications of floaters – retinal detachment/tear

Although suffering from floaters is not a serious disease, retinal detachment caused by floaters is an emergency in ophthalmology. One in four people with floaters may have their vision affected by retinal detachment or a tear. Keep in mind that if you have these signs of retinal detachment due to floaters, including:

• There are a large number of dark spots in the eyes in a short time
• Unusual flashes
• shadow
• The view is blocked

This means that there may be cracks in the retina, and it is important to seek immediate medical attention for treatment, otherwise floaters will cause permanent damage to vision or even blindness.

How is floaters treated?

If you have benign floaters, you do not need to be treated immediately. When you notice dark spots in your eyes, you can try moving the eyes to let the fluid flow through the eyes so that the fibers leave the line of sight. Of course, some people can't bear the black spots floating around in their eyes, and their attention is often disturbed by black spots, which seriously affects their mood, so they can consider floaters treatment.

With current technology, the main treatment and improvement of floaters is laser therapy and vitrectomy.

First, laser treatment of floaters

This floater treatment is suitable for large and concentrated vitreous fibers, using laser light to break these fibers into smaller fragments, through these methods to improve and eliminate floater symptoms. The laser treatment is performed under local anesthesia without pain and the whole treatment takes only 15 to 20 minutes. However, not everyone is suitable for laser treatment to improve floaters, and if the fibers are loose or too close to the macula or crystals, it should not be performed to avoid complications such as cataracts or macular damage.

Second, vitrectomy surgery to treat floaters

Vitrectomy is performed by removing the vitreous inside the eye through a small incision and replacing it with a solution to maintain the shape of the eye. The procedure only takes about 10 to 15 minutes. However, vitrectomy does not necessarily completely remove the fibers, and if the surgery itself causes bleeding or retinal tears, new floats may form, so most physicians do not recommend this procedure to treat floaters.

Floaters improvement and maintenance methods

Once floaters occur, it is almost difficult to reverse, even after laser or surgical treatment, there is a possibility of recurrence, what we can do is to live peacefully with it, or we can improve floaters by the following methods to reduce symptoms slightly.

First, the daily maintenance of benign floaters

• Avoid excessive eye use

PAY ATTENTION NOT TO OVERWORK THE EYES, ESPECIALLY 3C HEAVY USERS, YOU SHOULD LET THE EYES REST FOR 5 TO 10 MINUTES EVERY 1 HOUR, USE THE REST TIME TO BLINK, LOOK INTO THE DISTANCE TO RELAX THE EYES.

• Good living habits

In daily life, it is recommended to reduce the time spent playing with mobile phones, especially to avoid staying up late at night to look at mobile phones, to ensure that you have enough sleep and do exercise in a timely manner, which is also a way to improve floaters.

• Regular follow-up

Do not think that you have benign floaters can relax, floaters must be regularly checked to avoid other lesions, miss the best time for treatment.

• Eye care diet

Foods with antioxidant effects, such as berries, green or yellow vegetables, carrots, soybeans, milk, and fish oil, should be consumed in your diet to help improve floaters.

2. Postoperative care and maintenance of malignant floaters

• Medication treatment

After surgery, be sure to follow the doctor's instructions, remember to wash your hands thoroughly with soap before each medicine to avoid cross-infection.

• Improve your lifestyle

Rapid eye movements and excessive eye use should be avoided for 1 week after surgery. Try not to read books, mobile phones, computers, TV, etc. during this period. In addition, it is recommended not to do strenuous exercise, climbing, diving, or flying, as these activities can irritate the eyes and affect the speed of postoperative repair.

• Use an eye patch

During eye repair, it is recommended to wear an eye mask at all times to prevent collisions and avoid unconsciously rubbing your eyes when sleeping at night. It is necessary to ensure that the eye mask is clean when using, and it is recommended to wash and disinfect the eye mask daily to avoid wound infection due to bacteria.

• Daily diet

In addition to avoiding irritating foods, it is also necessary to avoid eating legumes, because such foods are easy to let the nitric oxide in the blood run into the eyes, causing the inert gas in the eyes to produce flatulence and increase the pressure in the eyes.

• Safe at home

Keep your home clean and tidy, reduce dust and avoid secondhand smoke, and do not change the layout of the home or place objects in the aisle during the recovery period, so as not to cause collisions or falls in unfamiliar environments and irritate the eyes.

• Regular follow-up visits

In addition to following the doctor's advice for regular follow-up consultations after surgery, if you notice eye discomfort, such as persistent eye pain, sudden blurred vision, nausea, increased or larger dark shadows, etc., remember to consult your ophthalmologist immediately to avoid worsening of the condition.

How can floaters be prevented?

Although we cannot completely avoid the occurrence of floaters, we can slow down the aging of the eyes and reduce the chance of developing floaters through daily maintenance.

1. Develop good eye habits

• AVOID EXCESSIVE USE OF 3C PRODUCTS (1 HOUR WITH EYES AND 5-10 MINUTES BREAK)
• Works in sufficient light and stable without flickering
• Avoid staying up late to increase the burden on your eyes

2. Intake of eye care nutrients

• Carotenoids (dark green, dark yellow and red fruits and vegetables)
• Anthocyanins (plum fruits)
• VITAMINS (VITAMINS A, B, C AND E)
• Omega3 fatty acids (fish oil)

3. Proper control of systemic vascular diseases (such as: diabetes, hypertension)

• Maintain a balanced nutrition and reduce the intake of foods high in oil and salt and sugar
• Regular exercise (jogging, cycling)
• Have regular full-body examinations

Although most floaters can not be treated, they should not be completely ignored, and they must be checked regularly, and if symptoms are aggravated, they should seek medical attention immediately to avoid missing the golden period of floater treatment.