# Floaters.



## PlasticSpanner (Nov 7, 2005)

Does anybody else suffer from the same problem?

In astronomy whilst looking through the eyepeice I can usually see what can only be described as "typical bacteria like patterns".  When I move my eyeball the pattern "swims" across to it's new position again.  These are known in astronomy as floaters but the cause isn't exactly known.  Some people suggest they are particles that just float around in the aqueous fluid in the eye!

Having just started in the darkroom stuff I've noticed these floaters return whilst I'm using the focusing tool & looking at the grain.

One solution suggested in astronomy is to shake your head from side to side just before looking in the hope that it'll take a few seconds to the floaters to stop moving.   Has anybody else got any good solution and cures?


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## Hertz van Rental (Nov 8, 2005)

Not that I know of. The human eye is not actually that well designed.
You get things on the surface, in the aqueous humour (in the front), the vitreous humour (in the main part), at the interfaces and on the retina.
The light even has to go through several cell layers and a mesh of capillaries in the retina _before_ it gets to the light receptors. In the right conditions you can even see corpuscles moving through these blood vessels.
Best thing is prior to critical work, use eye drops or an eye bath. Don't smoke and keep away from dusty atmospheres - cigarette smoke and car fumes are two of the worst. Pollen is another one.
I must say that I suffer from the problem a lot less since I moved to the Country from London.


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## Rob (Nov 8, 2005)

I've always found blinking and relaxing the eyes for a bit seems to clear the eyes. You start hallucinating if you stare too long anyway!

Rob


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## Marctwo (Nov 8, 2005)

I've always found these to be things that the brain automatically filters out.  If I concentrate I can normally see some of them anytime.

Maybe your seeing them more in this case because you're focusing intensely on new visual stimulus and once your brain gets the idea that they're not of interest it'll start filtering them out again?


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## PlasticSpanner (Nov 8, 2005)

I don't usually notice them but as soon as I do they just won't go away! 


Somebody else on SPA forum has also mentioned eyedrops!  I might give that a go for astronomy.  The darkroom isn't a problem since I only use the focuser for a few seconds at a time.


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## ThomThomsk (Nov 11, 2005)

Yes, I have them. Vitreous floaters, not normally intrusive in bright daylight, but indoors on a dull day they are very obvious.

My aunt, who is a GP, told me that they are the remains of tiny blood vessels that were present when your eye was developing, back when you were a fetus.


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## Patrick (Nov 11, 2005)

Kool... Always wondered what that was.


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