Black spots in vision are usually due to floaters but not always as other health issues may cause them. Depending on the underlying condition, it may appear gradually or suddenly. Explore pictures, causes, signs, and symptoms of lack spots in vision and how to get rid of them.
Signs and Symptoms
Based on background information, the eye is a specialized body organ that perceives light from objects into images that are interpreted by the brain to bring about vision. It has major parts such as lens, vitreous humor, retina, and macule that help in eye vision. If any of these eye parts is damaged it can result in black spots in the vision.
Black spots in the field of vision of the eye are also known as blind spots or eye floaters. These spots can appear clearly in your vision when you look at a bright surface such as white paper or clear blue sky. Black dots or lines in the field of your eye vision may not completely block your sight but it can make your eyes lose a clear vision.
Eye floaters can create a slight shadow over your eye vision when you keep your eyes concentrated at one point like reading a book. Also, focusing your eyes on an object for a relatively long time like during the time of driving may make you notice easily black dots in your vision.
Signs and symptoms of black spots in vision include the following:
- Black or dark dots in your vision that come and go
- Seeing black spots in front of the eyes that move slowly
- Seeing wavy lines in your vision
- Threadlike lines over your field of vision
- Cobweb-like lines in front of your eyes
- Temporal loss of clear vision
- Flashes of light
- Difficulties in seeing objects clearly
- Feeling a headache after focusing your eyes on the bright surface
Causes of Black Spots in Vision
Black dots or lines in the field of vision may appear due to various factors or causal agents. These causal agents determine the size, shape, and distribution of black spots in the field of eye vision. Here are some of the possible causes of black spots or lines in the vision of the eyes that include the following:
1. Aging and macular degradation
The process of aging is one of the risk factors that can cause eye problems such as black spots, dots, or lines in the vision. Black spots in the field of vision are eye conditions that often occur naturally in people with advanced age.
Age-related macular wear-out is a known eye problem that is linked to advanced age. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the degradation of macular cells at the eye retina may result in loss of central vision.
Macular is a specialized tissue or part of the retina that helps to differentiate fine detail of the image. The aging process may lead to degradation or wearing out of macular tissue hence you may lose your central eye vision. However, peripheral or side vision may not be affected.
Ophthalmologists suggest that it is very simple to determine if your eye has a damaged macule on the retina. You can just look at your hand clock with one eye open while you close the other one for about five seconds.
If you are unable to see the central clock hands together with peripheral clock numbers or symbols, this is a clear indication that you might have slight dark spots in your eye vision.
2. Macular hole
A macular hole can occur on your eye retina when a tiny tear forms on the eye’s macula. A macular hole may develop due to an eye infection, underlying body disorders, aging, or because of physical injuries that cause eye trauma.
The development of a tiny macular hole can increase gradually with time, simultaneously increasing blurry central vision of the eye. The Large macular hole can result in blind spot that can occur at the central eye vision while your peripheral vision will not be affected.
3. Macular pucker
The main cause of macular pucker is due to folds or wrinkles that develop on the surface of the retina. A ridged surface of the retina can alter the position of the macular spot leading to black spots in vision.
Macular pucker is associated with wavy blind spots in the eye vision. It can also cause difficulties in seeing detailed images due to cobweb lines in your eye vision. The formation of permanent gray or cloudy dots in front of your eye might be the effect of macular pucker.
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, macular pucker is attributed to developing from shrinking of the retina that occurs due to eye damage, infection or the aging process. Bulging of the eyeball can also make macular folds. This condition may not block your peripheral vision.
4. Eye injury
Injuries in the eye can result in damage to the retina, vitreous humor, and eye lens that can result in black dots in vision. Eye injuries can result from various incidences such as:
- A blow or hit on the eyeball that causes internal bleeding in the vitreous humor that might cast a shadow on the retina
- Scratches and abrasion from sharp objects may cause eye trauma, weeping, and even dark spots in front of the eye
- Foreign bodies in the eyes such as rough grits, pieces of wood, metal, and glass particles can damage the cornea of the eye
- Deep penetration, piercing, or cut of accidents from sharp objects like sticks, needles, sharp pieces of glass, or any other powered tools
- Eye burns from chemicals and thermal burns
- Harmful radiation such as direct eye exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun or artificial lamps can cause extreme damage to the eye retina
5. Detached retina
A detachment of the eye’s retina can occur when the lining of the retina breaks and separates from the back of the eyeball. This condition may result in permanent loss of eye vision or permanent black spots in your vision.
6. Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic Retinopathy is an eye condition that is common to people who are affected by diabetes or sugar disease. This condition can affect both eyes to start seeing floaters or dark spots. It also results in blurred vision or temporal loss of vision, night blindness, and difficulties in differentiating colors.
7. Retina vascular occlusion
This is a serious eye condition that may lead to dark spots in vision. The condition can occur due to the hardening of the arteries inside the eyeball, which may result in the clotting of blood on the surface of the retina that blocks light from reaching the retina.
8. Hypertensive retinopathy
The condition is common to individuals with a cardiac problem that can result in high blood pressure. Hypertensive retinopathy is characterized by internal eye bleeding due to rupture of blood vessels. Blood clots on the retina may result in blind spots or black floater in the eyes.
9. Uveitis
This is an eye condition that may occur when inflammation appears in the middle layer of the eyes known as the uvea layer, which nourishes the retina with nutrients from blood. Infection of the uvea can result in clots of blood that can block light from reaching the retina which can result in black dots in vision.
10. Other Eye diseases
Eye diseases, infections, or disorders may have a consequence of black spots in vision. There are several eye conditions that can damage the eye retina and macular spot. The damaged retina may result in a blind spot in eye vision.
Common eye diseases or disorders that are associated with black dots in eye vision include the following:
- Cataract is an eye condition linked to advanced age that causes short or long-sightedness
- conjunctivitis is a bacterial or viral infection of the eye that can damage the retina, this condition is characterized by a sudden development of pink eye color
- eye herpes is caused by a contagious virus that can result in serious loss of vision or permanent black spots in eye vision
- amblyopia is an eye condition that can occur in infants or young children and can lead to permanent loss of vision or black spots in vision, also known as lazy eye disease
- Blepharitis affect eyelids and, eyeball as well as damages macules that have a consequence in blind spots in the vision
- Chalazion or eye bumps can damage the cornea, and vitreous humor to develop floaters that cast shadows on the retina causing blurry vision.
- Eye ulcer or corneal ulcer from scarring on the eyeball can cause blind spots on your eyes
- Glaucoma may affect the optical nerves leading to blind spots in the eyes
- Hyphema is a condition characterized by internal eye bleeding that occurs between the iris and cornea. Blood clots in the eyeball may cause dark spots in your vision
- Subconjunctival hemorrhage is a sudden development of red spots in the eyes that can affect the clear vision of your eyes
- Eye cancer or tumors may result in the growth of malignant mass of tissue that can block light inside the eyeball to cause blind spots in vision
Black Spots in Vision Not Floaters
Black spots in your vision are not the same as eye floaters. However, dark spots in vision are related to floaters. It is quite important to learn the difference between black spots and black floaters in the eyes to avoid any confusion that may arise in your mind.
Black floaters in vision are irregular dots or particles that are seen moving slowly in your vision while black spots lack any motion. Floaters are attributed to be the particles that freely move inside the vitreous gel of the eyeball that cast a shadow on the retina.
Black spots in the field of vision are characterized by dots that block the central vision of the eye but peripheral vision might not be affected. Unlike floaters in your vision that can affect both central and peripheral vision of the eye depending on the position of floating debris in your vitreous humor.
Both dark spots and floaters in vision are called blind spots because they have the same effect of blurred vision, temporary loss of vision, and difficulties in seeing the fine detail of images or objects.
Sudden Black Spots in Vision
You might not have been born with blind spots in your eyes. A sudden burst of black spots in your vision is a clear indication of having an eye problem that should not be ignored. Sudden blind spots in vision may sometimes be accompanied by flashes of light in the vision that look like shooting stars.
There are various conditions that may correlate with the sudden development of black spots or floaters in your vision. According to the Mayo Clinic, a sudden tear of the retina has the consequence of a sudden burst of blind spots in your vision.
The detachment of the retina may occur when the connective tissue of the retina breaks or tears. When the retina separates from the back of the eyeball it affect the normal perception of the light to form object or images hence blind spot may appear.
Sudden damage to the macula on the retina as a consequence of eye infection might be the cause of abrupt blind spots or floaters in your vision. Eye injuries, infections, or disorders might result to damage sudden damage to the macula which has the ability to differentiate fine detail in vision.it is advisable to seek the help of your doctor in case you notice sudden black spots in your vision.
Black Spot in Vision One Eye
In most occasions, blind spots may affect one eye. Occasionally, both the left eye and right eye might be affected by black spots. Having black spots in only one eye cannot completely prevent you from seeing clear details of objects but it can just annoy you.
Sometimes it is not easy to notice blind spots in one eye because the other unaffected eye can perceive light in a Norma way. Black spots in the vision of one eye might interfere with your clear vision when you are not used to such a condition. As time goes on, your mind becomes better adapted to seeing spots in one eye.
Black Dot in Eye White
Naturally, the whites of the eyes consist of a bright sclerotic coat that protects the external part of the eyeball. Black spots on the white of eyes can attract more attention and it may look worrisome to you. These spots on the white of the eye may appear brown, pink, or black depending on your skin tone.
Freckles or moles are the common causes that may lead to the black dot in the white part of your eyes. Dark dots on the white part of the eyes may occur when melanocytes produce excess melanin or skin pigment that can result in hyperpigmentation of the whites of the eyes.
Freckles are usually harmless but they can make your eyes look less attractive. Occasionally, dark dots in the whites of the eyes may appear due to melanoma which is a type of skin cancer that attacks melanocytes. Malignant cancer cells might result in hyperpigmentation of the sclerotic layer of the eye.
Seeing Black Spots and Dizzy
What causes dizziness and seeing black spots? Feeling dizzy and seeing spots in your vision is a clear indication of a health problem. However in women, a feeling of dizzy and seeing spots while pregnant is normal but rare.
According to Web MD, there are several conditions that may cause seeing black spots with a headache or other symptoms like nausea and white flashes. These conditions include Ear infections, Diabetes, Cardiac problems, Anemia, Hypertension and hypotension, intense panic, Epilepsy, Body dehydration, Toxic shock, and Cancer.
How to Get Rid of Black Spots in Vision
If a blind spot in your vision is becoming bothersome, no need to worry anymore. There are several methods that you can use to fix or solve the problem of blind spots and floaters in your vision. You can use simple home remedies to treat tiny eye floaters or black spots in your vision.
Alternatively, medical treatment may be used to treat a serious eye condition that causes blind spots or floater in your vision. You can visit specialized eye doctors or ophthalmologists who can help you with medical treatment.
Treatment
Black spots in vision can be treated by using various treatment methods from specialized eye clinics. Based on the type of your blind spot in vision, your doctor may decide the appropriate treatment method that can help you get rid of black dots in your vision. These methods include:
- Surgical treatment: Vitrectomy is a surgical procedure that may be used to black floaters or dark spots from the vitreous humor of the eye.
- Laser treatment: The use of a beam of a strong electron or light to destroy floaters that are suspended in the vitreous gel of the eyeball.
- Prescription of the eye drops: medicinal eye drops can help to heal damaged retina to restore eye vision.
Home Remedies
How to reduce floaters in eyes naturally is our main interest. Try the following home remedies to get rid of black floater or black spots in vision:
1. Proper nutrition
There is a special diet recommended by nutritional experts that can be used as a home remedy to remove floater blind spots from the eye. Proper nutrition can help to provide enough nutrients that nourish the damaged retina to restore clear vision.
Eat a balanced diet rich in starch, protein, and vitamins. Eat plenty of carrots, yams, green peas, soya beans, cabbage, apples, pears, and berries. Also, supplement your diet with vitamins and minerals.
2. Alternate cold and hot eye compresses
Use a warm moistened washcloth and an ice-cold washcloth to compress your eyeball in the alternating sequence. You can practice this treatment several times per day until floaters and blind spots in your vision disappear
3. Continuous focusing on your line of vision
Focusing your eyes on a particular object for a long time regularly can help your eyes to restore clear vision. This can help to make your eyes relax for clear vision. Ensure you try to focus your eyes on an object for 5 minutes more than ten times a day.
4. Eye exercise
Eyes exercise can help to relieve the problem of eye floaters or black spots in vision. Simply roll or move your eyes clockwise slowly, anti-clockwise without moving your head.
5. Sleep well
Sleeping well can help to relieve eye stress that may cause blind spots or eye floaters. Ensure you get enough sleeping hours to refresh your eyes and mind.
6. Fresh milk
Fresh milk can help to heal and soothe eye conditions that can cause black spots in vision. You can apply two drops of fresh milk into your eye three times per day until the black spots in the field of vision go away.
When to See a Doctor
You can see your doctor over eye floaters or blind spots when you notice the following conditions that include the following:
- When you experience continuous flashes of light with blind spots in your vision
- when you feel dizzy with black spots in your vision
- if you suddenly develop blind spots in your vision
- when floaters or black dots in your vision are accompanied by a headache, fever, or any other strange symptoms
References
- black spots, floaters or lines in vision: https://www.healthline.com/symptom/eye-floaters
- signs and symptoms: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/symptoms/dark-spots
- cause of black spots, lines or floaters in vision: http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/spotsfloats.htm
- Black Spots or dots in Vision Not Floaters: https://patient.info/forums/discuss/dark-area-in-vision-not-floaters-538444
- Sudden black spots in eye vision: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/a-sudden-burst-of-black-spots-in-my-eye-turned-out-to-be-a-threat-to-my-sight/2013/05/20/cde9b444-adb8-11e2-98ef-d1072ed3cc27_story.html?utm_term=.8f3de29e22b2
- Black dots in vision one eye: http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/spotsfloats.htm
- Seeing black spots and dizzy: https://symptomchecker.webmd.com/multiple-symptoms?symptoms=blurred-vision%7Cdizziness%7Cfloating-spots-or-strings-in-vision%7Clightheadedness&symptomids=42%7C81%7C285%7C141&locations=3%7C2%7C3%7C2
- How to Get Rid of Black floaters or Spots in Vision: https://www.belmarrahealth.com/getting-rid-eye-floaters-home-remedies-exercise/
- Treatment of eye floater or black spots in eye vision: https://www.livestrong.com/article/11746-treat-eye-floaters-spots/
- Home remedies for back spots, lines, and floaters in the vision: http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/effective-home-remedies-for-eye-floaters/#gref
I’ve lived with Epilepsy for 36 years. It’s activated by my migraines. I also have a unique problem within my body: My immune system is selectively unable to provide the with protection. AND I’m unable to tolerate medications because after a few months of taking any medication my body will suddenly decide that I’m allergic, causing a reaction. Several times I’ve experienced anaphylaxis and required extreme emergency care. So, it’s no surprise that I deal with added complications along with my current diagnosis. Two days ago, for the first time, I became very disoriented, as if I was floating to nowhere. It caused me to loose consciousness. When I came to, after 20 minutes, my right eye could only see a very dark image the size of a quarter. Every time it returns it hurts a bit more. According to on lookers I jerked my arm slightly, but this is not typical of my seizures. I live alone with my son. We are both disabled. We’re also both worried. What could be happening?
I have a black spot in my eye outside my vision that just showed up. Blurry vision all acute. Eye exam three days ago and did not have this. He doc did say I need glasses for close up vision. I am 50. Any thoughts.
When I awaken in the morning , I often have very nicely formed black marbles that do no move but luckily do not last. No doctor would even believe me until I met a Hungarian eye specialist that diagnosed it as a shortage of blood to the retina or to the brain. As I arise, blood flow increases and the black spots disappear.
I have subsequently picked up other symptoms that tend to confirm the above. My blood pressure drops in the horizontal position and my carotid arteries are partly blocked. It happens in both eyes quite symmetrically.
I would be interested to now whether anybody has had similar experiences and comment would be useful.
Thank you, Fred.
Yes this has been happening to me only when i wake up i went to opsm got eye tests done but they didn’t find anything that bad I’m 40 years old and i take blood pressure medication and just resently stopped drinking alcohol as i was drinking way too much