Eye floaters?

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AlecHenderson220

Filing Flight Plan
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AlecHenderson220
Hi everyone,

I am a 15 year old in flight school and I noticed eye floaters about a month or two ago. Is this anything to be concerned about? I'm aiming to become an airline pilot, does this affect anything?

Thank you :)
 
Visit an eye doctor to find out if it’s not something more serious, but everyone gets a floater once in a while, your brain just learns to ignore that dead spot
 
AlecHenderson220 said:
Hi everyone,

I am a 15 year old in flight school and I noticed eye floaters about a month or two ago. Is this anything to be concerned about? I'm aiming to become an airline pilot, does this affect anything?

Thank you :)
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Nope. My guess is 100% of humanity has floaters. According to my eye doc you only notice the new ones until your brain learns to ignore it.
 
Go to the eye doctor, probably nothing, but if it is something better to find out before it turns into a big problem that will definitely ground you.
 
Don’t worry be happy good luck on your career choice
 
Yeah, we all have them. Just little bits of what not. Get an eye exam (dilation and all of that) and the doc can take a good look at your retina). I've not even seen where the FAA has any concern about them.
 
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Unless it's intrusive to your vision, it's an example of something you should NOT enter in your MedXPress form for a medical certificate.
 
Random floater, at your age, I'd say no big deal. If it starts to look like an aquarium aerator, get to eye doc ASAP. If you see flashes not attributable to static electricity or your favorite female, get to eye doc ASAP. (AMHIK) Good luck with your training and career.
 
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Quite common, especially in those with myopia. How's your acuity otherwise? If it was me, I'd keep it quiet until your next eye exam, and bring it up casually if you need to. Medical certification for pilots often looks for skeletons in closets, thus don't create an issue unless you need to. Good luck on your career choice and ambition; please check in with us often. Godspeed.
 
I have or had floaters; however, I think that at first I ignored them but then they actually disappeared. At least I can't find them anymore.
 
There are different flavors of "eye doctor" from an optician who simply fits and fills glasses prescriptions to an optometrist who tests, treats, and prescribes for vision deficiencies to an ophthalmologist who is a specialized doctor and a surgeon who treats more involved/severe vision and eye issues. An ophthalmologist can do everything the optometrist does and much more, including cataracts, retinal detachment, and corneal reconfigurations.

Go to a ophthalmologist.
 
Ha. The older you get, the more floaters you will accumulate, especially when you get to your 50s and your vitreous starts to detach as it does for many if not most individuals. Floaters are 99% harmless, but if you have a rapid accumulation of floaters accompanied by a "black curtain" in your visual field it could be signs of a retinal detachment. The excessively nearsighted are at elevated risk of retinal detachment as you get older. If you are concerned, see an ophthalmologist. But pilots will notice them, because the best way to visualize floaters is to look at a bright, featureless expanse, like the sky.
 
Hi.
I would try to get more information on the time this started and maybe the reasons why? While some floaters are normal if they occur suddenly and they are increasing in numbers and seem somwhat permanent it may be due to head trauma / shock and the reason my be a detached retina... I would consult a retina specialist if that is the case.
Most of the time they are a non issue and your FAA eye exam, as long as you can pass the minimum required will not, typically, be affected. When they get to the level that they affect your normal vision it does become a problem.
 
M2C. An optometrist is more than capable of looking at your retina and determining if there is a problem that needs an ophthalmologist.
 
The question is not what is causing the floaters, but is there a tear in the retina that needs to be treated before it progresses to a retinal detachment. A retinal specialist performing a detailed peripheral exam, looking for tears is what I would and have had done. The odds are it’s nothing(95%), but I don’t want to take the chance that there is something that can easily be treated without major surgery now, but could involve a sight threatening later.
 
WDD said:
M2C. An optometrist is more than capable of looking at your retina and determining if there is a problem that needs an ophthalmologist.
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Why? I've been to both for exams. The ophthalmologist was the only to examine my retina.
 
Nothing wrong with Ophthalmologists. Just my opinion that an optometrist is much easier to see, much cheaper, usually an annual eye exam is covered by insurance, and can do a fine job in determining if anything is out of order and if needs to escalate.

I'm not fully tin foil hat, but you also have the "list all doctor visits" and "I went to an ophthalmologist because I was concerned about my vision" trail. Nothing is being hidden by going to a normal annual eye exam, you accomplish your goal of getting the floaters checked out, etc.

The reason the optometrist dilates your eyes each year is to take a look at your retina. In addition to looking and taking notes, some also have the machines to take photo's for more imaging work. Again, they bring in the ophthalmologist if something doesn't look right. (My optometrist took photos a few years ago just as a double check, as I'm over 50, aunt had macular degeneration, etc. All good thank the Lord.)

Of course, the OP needs to do what he is comfortable with.
 
AlecHenderson220 said:
I am a 15 year old in flight school and I noticed eye floaters about a month or two ago. Is this anything to be concerned about? I'm aiming to become an airline pilot, does this affect anything?:)
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My Dad had occasional floaters. When he mentioned it to his primary doc, the doctor said it was painless migraines with auras. This is something the FAA does not like and would need investigating for medical certification. Take care of your health first, but it is also a good idea to ask your doctor what he will be entering into your permanent records.
 
Not all eye floaters and visual disturbances are silent migraine auras. Go to an eye doctor. They can determine if they are typical floaters, tiny filaments or liquidity in the vitreous fluid casting shadows on your retina.

BTW virtually everyone gets them at some time in their lives. More prevalent with age, but can occur at any age.

WDD said:
...I'm not fully tin foil hat, but you also have the "list all doctor visits" and "I went to an ophthalmologist because I was concerned about my vision" trail. Nothing is being hidden by going to a normal annual eye exam, you accomplish your goal of getting the floaters checked out, etc....
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If the optometrist reports to your insurance company, they will supply medical codes for the procedures and diagnosis. Unless you get the codes and look them up, you have no idea what they reported. In some cases docs have been known to "fudge" the coding for any number of reasons, some would be to your benefit, some would not.

As general rule, pilots should always ask their docs what codes they plan to submit. I believe the coding is listed on your insurance paperwork, so you can verify.
 
Floaters are a symptom, not a diagnosis. Commonly they are benign, occasionally may lead to blindness or worse. Any medical professional can carry around an ophthalmoscope. I’ve had “floaters” since age 25, anytime I get new floaters that I’ve never had before, I get a retinal exam by a retinal specialist, looking at the whole retina(especially the peripheral retina where tears and detachments start). A retinal detachment caught early is easy to treat, but requires a “depressed peripheral retinal exam”, not just a dilated retinal exam. Or you can ignore it, get checked out by a nurse practitioners, family doctor, optometrist or general ophthalmologist. 95% of the time you can ignore this symptom or get an inadequate exam and suffer no consequences. Old “floaters” that you’ve had for years do not need to be reevaluated. Some deadly eye tumors(melanoma) can have their first symptom as floaters.
 
Keep it to yourself and don't tell anyone.

I have had floaties my whole life and nobody showed a bit of concern when I mentioned it.

While I have your attention:

1. Admit nothing.
2. Deny everything.
3. Make counter-accusations.

You're welcome.
 
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Van Johnston said:
If you see flashes not attributable to static electricity or your favorite female, get to eye doc ASAP. (AMHIK) Good luck with your training and career.
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My wife had that happen to her. Got hit by a flying fish coming back from a night dive in Cozumel. Two years later she's still dealing with the aftermath.
 
AlecHenderson220 said:
Hi everyone,

I am a 15 year old in flight school and I noticed eye floaters about a month or two ago. Is this anything to be concerned about? I'm aiming to become an airline pilot, does this affect anything?

Thank you :)
Click to expand...

At age 15 I would get your eyes check for that, at age 55 meh!

I am not a doctor but I did stay at a Holiday Inn when I was your age..
 
Domenick said:
Not all eye floaters and visual disturbances are silent migraine auras. Go to an eye doctor. They can determine if they are typical floaters, tiny filaments or liquidity in the vitreous fluid casting shadows on your retina.

BTW virtually everyone gets them at some time in their lives. More prevalent with age, but can occur at any age.


If the optometrist reports to your insurance company, they will supply medical codes for the procedures and diagnosis. Unless you get the codes and look them up, you have no idea what they reported. In some cases docs have been known to "fudge" the coding for any number of reasons, some would be to your benefit, some would not.

As general rule, pilots should always ask their docs what codes they plan to submit. I believe the coding is listed on your insurance paperwork, so you can verify.
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They are ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes for reference

https://icdcodelookup.com/icd-10/codes
 
No 15 year old cannot diagnose a floater.
No lay person can for that matter. I know I can't.
Maybe it's a floater and maybe not.
You notice a visual disturbance.
Let a doc tell you what it is.
Then, rejoice if it turns out to be something minor.
Sorry, not sorry.
Deal with SGOTI, and Dr. Google misdiagnoses Every. Effing. Day.
 
donjohnston said:
My wife had that happen to her. Got hit by a flying fish coming back from a night dive in Cozumel. Two years later she's still dealing with the aftermath.
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She’s got me beat then. Only 11 months since initial onset on Christmas Eve. Recovering from the 6th surgery.

Can’t imagine having to deal with this another year. Good luck to your wife.
 
Has anyone else giggled just a little at the excessive use of the word floater in this thread?

Serious advice here - if you think it is serious, have your parents take you to an eye doctor. Or at least mention it at your next eye exam.
 
Personally, I'd ignore it (and did when I was 17), but if you want to be on the safe side, go see either an optometrist or ophthalmologist. In this case, I'm confident that it really doesn't matter who you see since any possible retinal issues in someone your age will be readily diagnoseable even by an optometrist.
 
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