"Eye Floaters" study in Taiwan - report from Consumerlabs

[Pluvious]

Consumerlabs is a subscription only site, but this recent item caught my... erm, Eye
Curious if anyone else has some feedback on this...

Eye floaters — the small specs or lines that sometimes appear to float in one's field of vision — are typically caused by tiny fibers of collagen or clumps of cells that become loose within the gel-like portion of the eye (i.e., the vitreous).

A study in Taiwan among 160 adults (average age 48) with eye floaters for at least 3 months showed that taking one, two or three capsules each containing 190 mg of bromelain, 95 mg of papain, and 95 mg of ficin daily for 3 months eliminated eye floaters (assessed by indirect ophthalmoscopy) in 65%, 70% and 75% of the participants, respectively, compared to only 5% of those in a placebo group.

According to the researchers, the enzymes promoted the breakdown and absorption of the substances causing the eye floaters (Takeuchi, Appl Sci 2020). However, the researchers did not test to confirm that the enzymes were absorbed into the vitreous of the eye.

There was also no significant improvement in best corrected visual acuity.

[nolabear]

1. Can you link to the source? Because I could seriously use this.

Vitreous detachment in my right eye. I can see well otherwise--well, with glasses--but the floaters make me crazy when I'm driving or trying to look at a blank screen.

[mobeau69]

7. The eye can be drained and a saline solution can be injected. It's not without risk but I found a

surgeon that I trusted, plus it was driving me nuts.

I went to Indiana Eye Institute in Indpls.

[Pluvious]

10. See post 3

Looks like the original report of the study, with more details.

As I wrote in my post, consumer labs has a paywall ($40/year)

The excerpt I posted was the full sum of the available consumer labs info.

[tblue37]

2. Often they are caused by dehydration. When I get them (occasionally), I drink a full glass

of water and they go away.

Same with leg and foot cramps. I get them when dehydrated, and they go away after I drink a glass of water.

[dweller]

3. Here's a study available

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/17/5901/htm


✌🏻

[Pluvious]

9. Thanks for the link, friend nt.

[Effete Snob]

4. 300 mg of meat tenderizer a day for three months...

…to maybe reduce a phenomenon that isn’t really much of a problem?

And these supplements sell for what?

[dweller]

6. Not cheap

Ok, mostly not cheap … $20-$80+

✌🏻

[Shrike47]

5. I hope this proves out. I've had big floaters since I was in my 20's and they impair vision.

[Pluvious]

11. See the link in post 3 (nt)

[multigraincracker]

8. About 8 or 9 years ago, I was seeing

fruit flies all around me. Then I found if I shut my right eye they went away.
Got home and googled it and found out they were floaters. I've had the normal clear one that looked like transparent hairs, but never little black dots. Google says go to the ER and I did. Waited all night as they said a doctor would call me at home right away. He never did, so I went to the eye doctor and he told me I had a tear in my retina and he did laser surgery right then. I went back 10 days later and he sent me to Toledo right away for another surgery.

Now much later, I still have one big smear of vaseline floater in that right eye. Look to the right and it goes to the right. Look to the left and that floater follows. Better than it use to be, but still sucks.

[Pluvious]

12. See the link in post 3 (nt)

[multigraincracker]

13. I made a copy

and will show it my doc.
Thanks.

[blueinredohio]

14. I've had floaters for as long as I can remember.

I thought everyone had them until a group of us were talking and no one knew what I was talking about.