Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

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Having vision problems? Do you see black or gray specks, strings or cobwebs that drift about when you move your eyes? It could be eye floaters.

"In the back of our eyes, we have a substance called 'the vitreous.' When we’re young, it’s a firm clump of jelly. As we age, this firm clump of jelly can liquefy and break up into smaller pieces. Those smaller pieces are what you may notice as floaters," says Dr. Khan.

Eye floaters are more common as you get older and if you’re nearsighted. The biggest concern is they can cause retinal tears.

"If a tear develops in the retina, fluid can get underneath that tear and just lift the retina like wallpaper off a wall," says Dr. Khan. "And that’s a retinal detachment."

And that can cause blindness, which is why it’s especially important to have a dilated eye exam within days of noticing new floaters or changes in vision.

Most eye floaters don’t require treatment, but your eye doctor likely will recommend regular eye exams to ensure the condition doesn’t worsen.

For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in an area not designated for patient care, where other safety protocols were followed.

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DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My dad mentioned to me that he has several dark spots and cobweblike strings that interfere with his vision. Is this something to be concerned about? What is needed to fix this condition?

ANSWER: Dark spots, such as those you describe, may be eye floaters. These black or gray specks, strings, or cobwebs typically drift about when you move your eyes and appear to dart away when you look at them directly. They may be most noticeable when you look at a plain, bright background, like the blue sky or a white wall.

People who need glasses to see distance, called being nearsighted, are more likely to get floaters. They also are more common in adults older than 50, as well as in people who’ve experienced eye trauma or inflammation inside the eye.

The presence of a few long-standing floaters usually is not a cause for concern. Most are caused by age-related changes that occur as the jellylike substance inside the eye, called vitreous, becomes more liquid. When this happens, tiny fibers within the vitreous tend to clump and can cast tiny shadows on the retina.

Although usually harmless, not all floaters are nonthreatening clumps of vitreous, so it is a good idea to have any new floaters examined with a dilated eye exam by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist. If he has not already done so, you should suggest to your father that he see a local eye specialist.

In the event that your father notices a sudden increase in floaters in one eye, he should seek immediate medical attention. In particular, prompt attention is needed if he sees light flashes or experiences a loss of peripheral vision. These changes may signal the presence of a retinal tear or a retinal detachment. If caught early, a retinal tear may be able to be treated with laser. If the tear has progressed to a retinal detachment, then surgery in the operating room is needed to repair the detachment. If left untreated, full detachment can lead to vision loss in the affected eye.

In rare situations an eye care professional may recommend surgical treatment. That can involve surgery to remove the vitreous, which is called a vitrectomy. However, there are risks, including bleeding and retinal tears, and the surgery may not remove all the floaters. Another treatment used infrequently for impaired vision caused by eye floaters is laser therapy. This treatment uses a laser to break up the floaters, making them less noticeable. Laser therapy risks still are not completely known.

As with any eye problem, if you are concerned about eye floaters, it is best to discuss your situation with an eye care professional, who will conduct a complete eye exam. By examining the back of the eyes and the vitreous, your eye care professional can determine the cause of the floaters. — Dr. Amir Khan, Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

The post Mayo Clinic Q and A: Most eye floaters caused by age-related changes appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Whether in person, online or a hybrid model of education, families and school districts are planning for how to safely teach students during the COVID-19 pandemic. No matter which plan is chosen by communities, this school year will be challenging. On Mayo Clinic Q&A radio, Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Mayo Clinic, discusses how students, teachers and staff can use public health measures already in place to minimize the risk of exposure to the virus and reduce community spread of COVID-19. Also on the podcast, Dr. Amir Khan, a Mayo Clinic ophthalmologist, explains what causes eye floaters. And Dr. Pashtoon Kasi, a Mayo Clinic medical oncologist, explains changes in colorectal cancer screening guidelines to prevent the disease in younger adults.

Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding along with guidelines and recommendations may have changed since the original publication date. 

Check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for additional updates on COVID-19. For more information and all your COVID-19 coverage, go to the Mayo Clinic News Network and mayoclinic.org.

The post Back-to-school recommendations / eye floaters / colorectal cancer screening guidelines appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Paired donation, also known as "paired exchange," may be an option when a donor and intended recipient have incompatible blood types, or when the recipient has unacceptable antibodies against the donor's tissue antigens. In paired donation, two or more organ recipient pairs trade donors, so that the recipients get organs that are compatible with their blood type. A nondirected living donor also can participate in paired donation to match incompatible pairs.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Carrie Schinstock, a Mayo Clinic nephrologist, and Kay Kosberg, a Mayo Clinic nurse who coordinates the paired kidney donation program across Mayo Clinic's Arizona, Florida and Rochester campuses, will discuss the paired kidney donation program at Mayo Clinic. Also on the program, Dr. Amir Khan, a Mayo Clinic ophthalmologist, will explain what causes eye floaters. And Dr. Pashtoon Kasi, a Mayo Clinic medical oncologist, will explain changes in colorectal cancer screening guidelines to prevent the disease in younger adults.

Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

The post Paired kidney donation / eye floaters / colorectal cancer in younger adults: Mayo Clinic Radio appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Paired donation, also known as "paired exchange," may be an option when a donor and intended recipient have incompatible blood types, or when the recipient has unacceptable antibodies against the donor's tissue antigens. In paired donation, two or more organ recipient pairs trade donors, so that the recipients get organs that are compatible with their blood type. A nondirected living donor also can participate in paired donation to match incompatible pairs.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Carrie Schinstock, a Mayo Clinic nephrologist, and Kay Kosberg, a Mayo Clinic nurse who coordinates the paired kidney donation program across Mayo Clinic's Arizona, Florida and Rochester campuses, will discuss the paired kidney donation program at Mayo Clinic. Also on the program, Dr. Amir Khan, a Mayo Clinic ophthalmologist, will explain what causes eye floaters. And Dr. Pashtoon Kasi, a Mayo Clinic medical oncologist, will explain changes in colorectal cancer screening guidelines to prevent the disease in younger adults.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Miss the show? Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

Use the hashtag #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Access archived shows or subscribe to the podcast.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Paired kidney donation appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Paired donation, also known as "paired exchange," may be an option when a donor and intended recipient have incompatible blood types, or when the recipient has unacceptable antibodies against the donor's tissue antigens. In paired donation, two or more organ recipient pairs trade donors, so that the recipients get organs that are compatible with their blood type. A nondirected living donor also can participate in paired donation to match incompatible pairs.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Carrie Schinstock, a Mayo Clinic nephrologist, and Kay Kosberg, a Mayo Clinic nurse who coordinates the paired kidney donation program across Mayo Clinic's Arizona, Florida and Rochester campuses, will discuss the paired kidney donation program at Mayo Clinic. Also on the program, Dr. Amir Khan, a Mayo Clinic ophthalmologist, will explain what causes eye floaters. And Dr. Pashtoon Kasi, a Mayo Clinic medical oncologist, will explain changes in colorectal cancer screening guidelines to prevent the disease in younger adults.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Miss the show? Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

Use the hashtag #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Access archived shows or subscribe to the podcast.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Paired kidney donation / eye floaters / colorectal cancer in younger adults appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ANSWER: Dark spots such as those you describe may be floaters. These black or gray specks, strings, or cobwebs typically drift about when you move your eyes and appear to dart away when you look at them directly. They may be most noticeable when you look at a plain, bright background, like the blue sky or a white wall.

People who need glasses to see distance (nearsighted) are more likely to get floaters. They’re also more common in adults older than age 50, as well as in people who’ve experienced eye trauma or inflammation inside the eye.

The presence of a few long-standing floaters usually isn’t a cause for concern. Most are caused by age-related changes that occur as the jellylike substance (vitreous) inside your eye becomes more liquid. When this happens, tiny fibers within the vitreous tend to clump and can cast tiny shadows on your retina.

Although usually harmless, not all floaters are nonthreatening clumps of vitreous, so it’s a good idea to have any new floaters examined with a dilated eye exam by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist.

Contact an eye specialist immediately if you notice a sudden increase in floaters in one eye. In particular, seek prompt attention if you also see light flashes or lose your peripheral vision. This change may signal that the retina has pulled away, or is pulling away, from the back of your eye (retinal detachment). Detachment usually occurs over about a week. A retina with a hole or tear can be treated with laser treatment or surgery. If left untreated, full detachment can lead to vision loss in the affected eye.

Rarely, eye floaters can impair your vision, at which time your eye doctor may recommend treatment. That can involve surgery to remove the vitreous and replace it with a solution to help your eye maintain shape. However, there are risks, including bleeding and retinal tears, and the surgery may not remove all of the floaters. Another treatment used infrequently for impaired vision caused by eye floaters is laser therapy. This treatment uses a laser to break up the floaters, making them less noticeable. Laser therapy risks still are not completely known.

As with any eye problem, if you are concerned about eye floaters, it’s best to discuss your situation with an eye care professional, who will conduct a complete eye exam. By examining the back of your eyes and the vitreous, he or she can determine the cause of the floaters. (adapted from Mayo Clinic Health Letter) — Dr. Amir Khan, Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

The post Mayo Clinic Q and A: What are eye floaters? appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.