Hi, I’ve been Type 1 Diabetic for about 7 years… Diagnosed around 14 years old.
I am wondering if I should be worried about these new floaters I am seeing in my eyes?
Anyone else have them? Do they go away or is it a sign of diabetic retinopathy?
Thanks to anyone who answers!
I’d say check with your eye doctor and see what they suggest. I have floaters. Each year I see the doctor they check to see if bad enough to do anything or not. Read up on them. Sometimes the treatment for a floater might not be worth the hassle if it’s not really that bad in vision view. I’ve read on them and refer back to my doctor for her view each time as to what she thinks should be done and I always follow her advice. If she says leave I leave be. Same with my cataracts. Says yes I have but not bad enough to remove yet. So I leave be and let her have her lead in this. She’s the one who went and got trained on this, not me.
So, basically what I’m saying is go see the eye doctors and see what their advice to you is and then go from there. Best of luck to you.
New floaters would definitely warrant a visit to your ophthalmologist to get checked out. Everyone is different (since causes can be so different), so any expereinces people offer here may be moot unless the cause is the same.
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I have floaters… Ophthalmologist has told me they’re nothing to be concerned about and have nothing to do with retinopathy (in my case). If you’re concerned I’d make an ophthalmologist appointment-- they can address it if there’s a real issue and make you feel better about it if there isn’t
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Mine basically said same thing. She’s keeping checks on them to see what happens. I have a new one that’s been bugging the heck out of me. Keeps getting right in line of vision. Been like that for months now. Waiting for visit with her again to let her check it out. Probably something I’ll have to live with but at least she’ll be the one to tell me.
Thanks for the reply’s! I have had an eye exam every year since I’ve gotten type 1 and the doctor always said there is no sign of damage… Nevertheless a week ago I started noticing some annoying floaters while being on the computer. I don’t notice them when looking far away but close up it can really be annoying. I’ve always had A1c’s below 6 but before I got the dexcom(got it last year at end of may) I had so many low blood sugars that I would say I had rapidly fluctuating blood sugar levels, even though my A1c’s have been great. I am worried that the rapid fluctuations up and down may be worse than having steady blood sugar levels even if they are a little higher… Just about 6 months ago I switched from humulin to lantus and it’s been wonderful how much more steady things have been. So, that is what makes me worry and upset the most that once things get better with the blood sugar control, things start changing in my eyes… 
Go get an eye exam from an optomologist. Not a regular eye doc. they will fully dilate your eyes and take a long look inside. It is like nothing, but you cannot be sure unless an optomologist lets you know. Please take action now,
rick
change DR. as said above.
this site is worth reading
http://www.diabeticretinopathy.org.uk/retinopathyprogression.htm
My optho told me essentially what Sam’s told him—that they are normal, everyone has them, and they are not ordinarily cause for concern. However, he added that if one experiences a very sudden and extreme increase—basically a flood—then and only then it is a danger signal that needs immediate attention, emphasis on “immediate”.
I would add that my advice is to make sure you’re seeing an opthalmologist instead of an optometrist… That horse has been beaten to death on this forum already and there’s no need to rehash it— but it’s still certainly my advice.
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+1. And mine.
It might be a good idea to get seen by a retina specialist.
I think the expertise of these highly specialized opthalmologists is generally reserved for people who actually have retina issues confirmed by general practice ophthalmologists… Imo it’s kinda like making your first appointment with a brain surgeon because you have a headache
well maybe it’s my opinion because 30 years ago I had my first hemorrhage weeks after being seen by my opthamologist
maybe they do thing differently now.
I’ve been seeing an optometrist… So, I will look into a opthamologist. Thanks!
Actually retina specialists are equipped to perform diagnostic tests that general practice opthalmologists ordinarily don’t do. An example is the fluorescin angiogram, which can uncover signs of incipient retinopathy much earlier than an ordinary eye exam can. Dr. Randy Wong, a TuDiabetes member and a practicing retina specialist, was interviewed here by Emily Coles a year or two back. He recommends that everyone who has had diabetes for more than a few years have one performed as a benchmark for future reference.
I am a type 2 and was dx’d with Retinopathy, Macular Edema and a posterior vitreous detachment. My floaters seem to come from the vitreous detachment. I now see a Retina Specialist every 6 months. they have special machines that look into the back of your eye and take pictures.