Have you ever noticed small, dark dots or squiggly lines in your field of vision that don’t go away? If so, you have eye floaters. Many people develop eye floaters to a certain extent as they age, but they can also result from head trauma from a car accident. Sometimes eye floaters can signal a serious underlying medical issue such as retinal bleeding or detachment. Here, we will describe eye floaters, and talk about when to see a doctor.
What are Eye Floaters?
Eye floaters look like small dots or lines in your field of vision that move when you try to look at them. Most floaters are caused by flecks of collagen.
Eye floaters usually develop with age, but can also be caused by trauma to the eyes or head. They are usually no cause for immediate concern. Once you develop floaters, they will never go away – though they can get better over time. There are certain situations in which eye floaters can be cause for concern, specifically when they are accompanied by a loss of vision, or pain in the eyes.
Eye Injuries in Car Accidents
Trauma to the head can result in retinal tears or retinal detachment (both of which are generally preceded by eye floaters). Head injuries are commonplace in car accidents, and can result in a lot of medical issues, from concussions, to water on the brain. Most people do not even think about the fact that head injuries can result in eye injuries.
Retinal tears or detachments can also appear over time, not necessarily directly after an accident. If you sustain a head injury in a car accident, keep an eye out for floaters over the following weeks. Contact a physician right away if you notice any eye floaters that worsen over time, or if you have eye floaters in conjunction with eye pain, or loss of vision.