Do you know why I am experiencing a temporary vision change — like looking through water droplets?
SEP 19, 2023
Question:
I am a 60-year-old female who has been nearsighted since the age of 12 with astigmatism. For about a year now my vision blurs and gets distorted as though I'm looking through water droplets or tears. It does not clear up with blinking. I've had floaters for years but this is different. Any ideas?
Answer:
First do you have other symptoms such as a decrease in the central vision or the observation of streaks of light in the vision? These symptoms require a visit to an ophthalmologist soon. Otherwise what you probably are seeing is the progression of changes in the fluids in the back of the eye (termed vitreous syneresis), in which the gel that fills the back of the eye is changing (very slowly) to a dense liquid. When the edge of this transition zone enters the central axis, you will see a distortion of the vision in the right light which appears as if you are looking through water drops or crinkly cellophane. This process is frequently preceded by floaters over many years. In any case I would advise you to see an ophthalmologist for further evaluation.
This question was originally answered on Mar. 10, 2014.