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How To Get Rid Of Eye Floaters
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How To Get Rid Of Eye Floaters

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How To Get Rid Of Eye Floaters April 5, 2018

Most of you might be quite familiar with the strings and specks that float in your field of vision from time to time. But the moment you try and look at these obstructions directly, they disappear into thin air. These obstructive shapes are often the symptoms of a medical condition called eye floaters. Do you want to know more about eye floaters and how you can stop seeing them? Read on to find out!

Table Of Contents

What Are Eye Floaters?
What Causes Eye Floaters?
Signs And Symptoms Of Eye Floaters
Types Of Eye Floaters
Home Remedies To Treat Eye Floaters
Prevention Tips
Best Foods For Eye Floaters

What Are Eye Floaters?

Eye floaters are small spots that drift through your field of vision. They may appear as black or grey specks or cobwebs that drift around whenever you move your eyes. However, if you try looking at them directly, they tend to dart away.

Although eye floaters are often a result of advancing age, there are a few other factors that can cause them.

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What Causes Eye Floaters?

Eye floaters can be caused by any of the following:

  • Age-related changes in your eyes
  • Inflamed eyes
  • Bleeding from the eyes
  • Torn retina
  • Certain eye medications and/or surgery
  • Medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and injuries
  • Nearsightedness

Given below are a few symptoms of this condition.

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Signs And Symptoms Of Eye Floaters

  • Small dark specks or strings floating in your field of vision
  • Spots that drift when you move your eyes and disappear when you look at them
  • Spots in your field of vision that are most visible when you look at plain and bright backgrounds like the sky or a white wall
  • Small shapes that eventually drift out of your line of vision

Eye floaters are classified into different types, depending on their shape. These types are discussed below.

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Types Of Eye Floaters

There are mainly five types of eye floaters:

(i) Fibrous Strands

If you see fibrous shapes in your field of vision, it could be a result of collagen breakdown. Fibrous strands are the most common (and harmless) type of eye floaters.

(ii) Cloud-Like Floaters

Cloud-like floaters are diffused and less defined than the fibrous strands. The natural aging process leads to the visibility of such floaters.

(iii) Weiss Rings

Weiss rings are larger floaters that are ring-shaped. They are often formed when the vitreous tissue surrounding the optic nerve detaches itself.

(iv) Flashes Of Light

Although not exactly eye floaters, you may see flashes of light when the vitreous membrane stimulates the retina during its detachment.

(v) Dots

If you see dots or specks in your line of vision, it could be due to a tear in the retina that has caused blood (the visible dots) to leak into your vitreous membrane.

Most eye floaters hardly require treatment if they are benign. But if the smallest alteration in your vision bothers you, there are natural ways that you can opt for to reduce or even get rid of these floaters altogether. The following is a list of home remedies that can help you in treating the condition.

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How To Get Rid Of Eye Floaters Naturally

  1. Beetroot Juice
  2. Vitamin Deficiency
  3. Castor Oil
  4. Essential Oils
  5. Green Tea
  6. Omega-3
  7. Lemon Juice
  8. Apple Cider Vinegar
  9. Coconut Oil
  10. Carrot Juice
  11. Flaxseed Oil
  12. Goji Berries
  13. Grape Seed Extract
  14. Garlic
  15. Ginger
  16. Ghee
  17. Amla Juice
  18. Aloe Vera Juice
  19. Onion
  20. Rose Water

Home Remedies To Treat Eye Floaters

1. Beetroot Juice

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You Will Need

1 cup of fresh beetroot juice

What You Have To Do

Drink a glass of fresh beetroot juice.

How Often You Should Do This

You must consume this juice twice daily.

Why This Works

Beetroot contains compounds like lutein and zeaxanthin that are great for your macular and retinal health (1). Hence, beetroot juice can treat eye diseases like eye floaters.

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2. Vitamins

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Your diet plays an important role in maintaining your vision. Vitamins A and C are great for your eyes. Vitamin A can reduce the occurrence of floaters and also improve your eyesight (2). Vitamin C supports the formation of collagen and is necessary for stronger retinal capillaries and eye tissues (3). You must consume more foods like carrots, spinach, kale, citrus fruits, eggs, and butter to get the required amount of vitamins A and C. You can also consider taking additional supplements for these vitamins after consulting your doctor.

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3. Castor Oil

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You Will Need

1-2 drops of 100% organic castor oil

What You Have To Do
  1. Pour a drop or two of 100% organic castor oil in each eye.
  2. Leave it in overnight and wash your eyes the next morning.
How Often You Should Do This

You must do this once daily, preferably before bedtime.

Why This Works

Castor oil is an age-old Ayurvedic remedy that helps improve your eyesight. It contains ricinoleic acid that alleviates inflammation in your eyes. Castor oil also contains many other wonderful nutrients and antioxidants that are much needed for healthy eyes (4), (5).

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4. Essential Oils

a. Frankincense Essential Oil

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You Will Need

1 drop of frankincense oil

What You Have To Do
  1. Take a drop of frankincense essential oil and spread it between your fingers.
  2. Apply this above your eyebrows and across the top of your cheekbones.
How Often You Should Do This

Do this 1 to 2 times daily.

Why This Works

Frankincense oil possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can help in reversing retinal cell degradation and damage, thus helping treat eye floaters.

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5. Green Tea

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You Will Need
  • 1 teaspoon of green tea (1 green tea bag)
  • 1 cup of water
  • Honey
What You Have To Do
  1. Add a teaspoon of green tea to a cup of water.
  2. Bring it to a boil in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes.
  3. Strain and let the tea cool a bit.
  4. Add some honey to the green tea and consume immediately.
How Often You Should Do This

Do this thrice daily.

Why This Works

Although caffeine is restricted when you have eye floaters, green tea is an exception. It is abundant in antioxidants that can help improve your vision by strengthening your retinal tissues (6).

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6. Omega-3 Supplements

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You Will Need

1000 mg omega-3 supplements

What You Have To Do

Consume 1000 mg omega-3 supplements.

How Often You Should Do This

You must consume this once daily.

Why This Works

Omega-3s are one of the best remedies to treat eye floaters. They are polyunsaturated fatty acids that help reduce inflammation in your eye tissues to a great extent (7). They can also repair macular degeneration and treat various other eye diseases (8).

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7. Lemon Juice

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You Will Need
  • ½ lemon
  • 1 glass of water
  • Honey
What You Have To Do
  1. Squeeze the extract from half a lemon into a glass of water.
  2. Add some honey to it and mix well.
  3. Consume it immediately.
How Often You Should Do This

Do this 3 to 4 times daily.

Why This Works

Lemons are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants that work great in repairing degenerative macular and retinal tissues, which are the leading causes of eye floaters (9).

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8. Apple Cider Vinegar

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You Will Need
  • 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup of warm water
  • Cotton pads
What You Have To Do
  1. Add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to half a cup of water and mix well.
  2. Soak two cotton pads in this solution and place them on closed eyelids.
  3. Leave them on for 30 to 60 minutes.
How Often You Should Do This

You must do this 1 to 2 times daily.

Why This Works

Apple cider vinegar is a good option for treating eye floaters. Given its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, ACV can reduce inflammation in the retinal tissues and protect your eyes from oxidative stress.

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9. Coconut Oil

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You Will Need

1 teaspoon of coconut oil

What You Have To Do
  1. Take a teaspoon of coconut oil and rub it between your palms.
  2. Close your eyelids and place your palms over them.
  3. Hold your hands over your eyes for 5 to 10 minutes.
How Often You Should Do This

You must do this 1 to 2 times daily.

Why This Works

Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids that help in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress caused by free radicals (10), (11). Hence, it can aid repair of retinal and macular tissues, thus combating eye floaters.

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10. Carrot Juice

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You Will Need

1 cup of freshly extracted carrot juice

What You Have To Do

Consume a cup of fresh carrot juice.

How Often You Should Do This

You must consume this juice only once daily.

Why This Works

Carrots are rich in antioxidants and vitamin A (12), (13). Therefore, regular intake of carrots provides your eyes with the nutrients required for their proper functioning and helps get rid of conditions like eye floaters.

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11. Flaxseed Oil

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You Will Need

1 teaspoon of flaxseed oil

What You Have To Do
  1. Take a teaspoon of flaxseed oil and rub it in between your hands.
  2. Place them over your closed eyelids for 5 minutes.
  3. You can also take a few drops of flaxseed oil and apply it above your eyebrows and over your cheekbones and leave it on overnight.
How Often You Should Do This

You must do this 1 to 2 times daily.

Why This Works

Most of the benefits of flaxseed are associated with the presence of omega-3 fatty acids in it (14). As we have already seen, omega-3 fatty acids are great for promoting eye health and thus, flaxseed oil can help in treating eye floaters.

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12. Goji Berries

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You Will Need

¼ cup of dried goji berries

What You Have To Do
  1. Consume one-fourth cup of dried goji berries daily.
  2. You can either have them directly or add them to your favorite smoothie or trail mix.
How Often You Should Do This

Do this once daily.

Why This Works

Goji berries contain zeaxanthin, an antioxidant that is necessary for proper functioning of the eyes (15). Regular consumption of goji berries will help treat the condition.

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13. Grape Seed Extract

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You Will Need

100 mg of grape seed supplements

What You Have To Do

Consume 100 mg of grape seed supplements.

How Often You Should Do This

You must take these supplements 2 to 3 times daily.

Why This Works

Grape seeds are rich sources of many valuable antioxidants that are required for healthy eyes. The oligomeric proanthocyanidins complexes (OPCs) impart powerful antioxidant properties to grape seeds, which also accelerate your recovery from the condition by promoting retinal and macular health (16).

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14. Garlic

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You Will Need

Minced garlic cloves

What You Have To Do
  1. Add minced garlic cloves to your favorite salad or pasta and consume daily.
  2. You can also directly chew on the garlic cloves if you can withstand the strong flavor.
How Often You Should Do This

You must do this on a daily basis.

Why This Works

Garlic is an herb that is used for flavoring different cuisines. Of late, garlic is gaining popularity for its therapeutic uses due to its strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential. These therapeutic properties of garlic can help in repairing the damaged eye tissues that can otherwise lead to the development of eye floaters (17).

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15. Ginger

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You Will Need
  • 1-2 inches of grated ginger
  • 1 cup of water
  • Honey
What You Have To Do
  1. Add an inch or two of grated ginger to a cup of water.
  2. Bring this to a boil in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes.
  3. Strain and let the tea cool a bit.
  4. Add some honey and consume immediately.
How Often You Should Do This

You must consume this 3 to 4 times daily.

Why This Works

The mild spiciness of ginger is due to the presence of gingerol (18). This compound exhibits excellent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that work wonders for your eyes. It reduces damage due to oxidative stress and combats inflammation within the macular and retinal tissues.

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16. Ghee

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You Will Need

¼ cup of ghee

What You Have To Do
  1. Warm one-fourth cup of ghee and allow it to cool.
  2. Wear an old shirt and wash each of your eyes with the ghee for at least 5 minutes.
  3. This procedure can be a little messy and is best done in the bathroom.
How Often You Should Do This

You must do this once every alternate night.

Why This Works

Using ghee to restore the health of your eyes is an age-old Ayurvedic remedy. This treatment is often referred to as Netra Basti and works great for getting rid of eye floaters and dry eyes (19).

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17. Amla Juice

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You Will Need
  • 1 tablespoon of amla juice
  • ¼ cup of water
  • Honey
What You Have To Do
  1. Take a tablespoon of freshly extracted amla juice and mix it with a cup of water.
  2. Add a little honey to this and consume directly.
How Often You Should Do This

You must consume this juice once daily.

Why This Works

The antioxidant properties of amla can be attributed to its vitamin C content, which works great in repairing the damages to eye tissues as well as in improving your overall vision (20).

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18. Aloe Vera Juice

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You Will Need

1 cup of aloe vera juice

What You Have To Do
  1. Drink a cup of aloe vera juice.
  2. You can also dab some aloe vera gel on your eyes every once in a while.
How Often You Should Do This

You must drink this juice once daily.

Why This Works

The healing properties of aloe vera can help in speeding your recovery from eye floaters. And its antioxidant potential can repair damaged tissues while improving your vision (20).

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19. Onion

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You Will Need

1 onion

What You Have To Do
  1. Take an onion and slice it into pieces.
  2. Chew on the onion pieces at regular intervals.
How Often You Should Do This

Do this twice daily for a few days.

Why This Works

Many have found relief from eye floaters by consuming onions, especially white onions. The therapeutic potential of onions come from their exceptional antioxidant potential that can also be helpful in the treatment of eye floaters and the tissue damage that may be causing it. The presence of quercetin in onions makes them powerful antioxidant foods (21).

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20. Rose Water

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You Will Need

1-2 drops of rose water

What You Have To Do
  1. Pour a drop or two of rose water in each of your eyes.
  2. Blink a few times and allow it to be absorbed by your eyes.
How Often You Should Do This

You must do this 3 to 4 times daily.

Why This Works

Rose water is derived from roses and is known to help in soothing the eyes. Roses possess powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can help heal damaged eye tissues and inflammation within the eye cells, which are the causes of eye floaters (22).

With advancing age, your risk of developing eye floaters also increases. And while these remedies can help you in combating the condition, they may not necessarily help in preventing its recurrence. This is where the following tips come into play.

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Prevention Tips

  • Always wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun.
  • Avoid straining your eyes.
  • Follow a healthy diet.
  • Do eye exercises.
  • Practice yoga.
  • Drink lots of water.

Your diet plays an important role in enhancing the health of your eyes. Let’s take a look at the foods that can accelerate recovery and even prevent the condition.

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Best Foods For Eye Floaters

  • Green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale
  • Fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines
  • Nuts rich in protein like walnuts, pistachios, and almonds
  • Citrus fruits like oranges, kiwis, and strawberries
  • Shellfish like oysters

Now that you know what is to be done for treating eye floaters naturally, get going and try these remedies. Let us know how they worked for you by leaving a comment below.

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Expert’s Answers For Readers’ Questions

What are the best eye exercises for floaters?

Exercises like blinking, breathing, meditating, as well as massaging the acupressure points around your eyes help you deal with eye floaters.

How long do eye floaters last?

Eye floaters may never disappear completely for some individuals. They, however, usually get smaller and are less noticeable in a few weeks or months.

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