floaters as a resident/

[Incandescent]

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Hi all,

i'm going to be a resident in ophtho next year. my visual acuity is near 20/20 in each eye without correction. i'm not a high myope (i am barely a myope at all), i've never had any major eye pathology, and binocularity/stereo vision has never been a problem.

the main thing is, i have lots of floaters. or at least, i think i do. they have been stable forever, and i've had dialated exams performed by a few MD's (and OD's) in the past which were always documented (and told to me) as normal. its hard for me to count, but i feel like i have 4-7 in each eye. i don't believe that is normal...? they don't really bother me, but the closer i get to residency, the more paranoid i get that they will somehow be a problem.

i may be worrying about nothing, but i guess i wanted to hear from residents who might also have some floaters, and be reassured.

 

[orbitsurgMD]

Hi all,

i'm going to be a resident in ophtho next year. my visual acuity is near 20/20 in each eye without correction. i'm not a high myope (i am barely a myope at all), i've never had any major eye pathology, and binocularity/stereo vision has never been a problem.

the main thing is, i have lots of floaters. or at least, i think i do. they have been stable forever, and i've had dialated exams performed by a few MD's (and OD's) in the past which were always documented (and told to me) as normal. its hard for me to count, but i feel like i have 4-7 in each eye. i don't believe that is normal...? they don't really bother me, but the closer i get to residency, the more paranoid i get that they will somehow be a problem.

i may be worrying about nothing, but i guess i wanted to hear from residents who might also have some floaters, and be reassured.

Well, if they do become a problem, at least you won't have to go far or wait long to have an ophthalmologist take a look at them.

I wouldn't worry about the floaters*. Now if what this is really about is second thoughts about becoming an ophthalmologist, before beginning your residency, you should sit down with an ophthalmologist whose opinion you trust and talk that through.

[sotto voce]
*Not to be construed as medical advice; sudden appearance of new floaters or flashes accompanied by new floaters or a curtain-like defect in your vision may indicate hemorrhage, retinal tear, retinal detachment or other disease process within the eye that could cause permanent loss of vision or blindness. Immediate consultation with your eye physician is recommended if any of these symptoms should occur.

 

[DOCTORSAIB]

I developed floaters (and flashes) after seeing some of these starting salaries for ophthalmologists!