field notes on floaters, retinas & dry eyes, since 2020

Eye health that makes sense, no fear, no miracle cures.

Floaters driving you nuts? Macular degeneration in the family? Eyes feel like sandpaper after screens? We translate the research into plain English so you can make confident choices.

Explore Conditions When to See a Doctor

I read the studies so you don't have to. Every claim on this site links to the actual paper — see our medical disclaimer.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) cross-section scan of a human retina showing its layered structure — The bright band running through the middle is your retina. The dark space in front of it is the vitreous gel your floaters drift through.OCT retinal scan, Image: medOCT-group, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

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What's bothering you?

Floaters & PVD

Posterior vitreous detachment, the usual suspect

• Most floaters are benign and fade with time (neuroadaptation)
• No supplement is FDA-approved for floaters, and efficacy alone does not equal regulatory approval
• YAG laser works for discrete Weiss rings, not diffuse clouds
Red flag: Sudden shower + flashes + curtain = retinal tear (ER now)

Start with floaters

Macular Health (AMD)

Age-related macular degeneration—early action matters

• AREDS2 formula only helps intermediate AMD
• The one diet change with trial-grade evidence behind it — and it doesn't help healthy eyes at all
Wavy lines, new blind spot, sudden blur — wet AMD, call today

Read the AMD page →

Macular Pucker (ERM)

A membrane wrinkles the macula, wavy, blurred central vision

• Often follows a PVD — the gel leaves cells behind that form a membrane
• Roughly 1 in 11 adults; most cases mild or asymptomatic
• No drops or exercises remove it — surgery is elective
• Worth knowing: surgery helps distortion, rarely restores perfect vision
Sudden worsening distortion, flashes, or a curtain — call your retina doctor today

The retina membrane →

High Eye Pressure (IOP)

Glaucoma suspect—most never develop glaucoma, but IOP is the risk factor you can influence

• Caffeine raises IOP acutely; heavy intake matters most if you're genetically susceptible
• Drops + laser are the proven protectors; supplements are adjuncts at best
• Silent until it isn't — that's the whole point of the page

Pressure & glaucoma →

Dry Eye & Discomfort

Burning, gritty, blurry, especially after screens

• 86% is evaporative (MGD)—oil glands clog
• Trifecta: Lipid tears + Omega-3 rTG + Warm compresses
• Prescription drops if OTC fails 3 months
Don't: Put straight castor oil in eyes

Dry eye relief →

Practical help, plain English

The guides I wish existed when my own PVD showed up uninvited in 2020.

Some symptoms can't wait

A shower of new floaters, flashes, or a shadow creeping across your vision can mean a torn retina. That's an ER visit, not a Google search.

When to See a Doctor

Get the Free E-Book

Everything on this site in one document, the emergency checklist, the PVD roadmap, the evidence on supplements, high eye pressure, and the treatments we're watching. 34 pages, free, with every study linked.

Download the PDF →

Free edition · floatersfocus.org · share it freely