Supplements for Eye Floaters?

Question:
Do any supplements help prevent or reduce eye floaters?
Up close picture of an eye

Answer:
A variety of supplements have been promoted for preventing or reducing eye floaters including vitamin C and lutein, ginkgo, milk thistle, collagen and hyaluronic acid. Find out if any of these have been shown to be helpful in clinical trials. See the full answer >>

Learn more about supplements for eye health and vision:

Do vitamin C supplements help prevent cataracts? >>

Which supplements are helpful for age-related macular degeneration (AMD)? >>

Do any supplements help prevent or improve cataracts? >>

I'm at risk for both macular degeneration and Alzheimer's disease, according to my doctors. I've read articles about omega-3 oils saying that more EPA than DHA is good for macular degeneration, and the reverse is true for Alzheimer's. What do you recommend? >>

The lutein supplement I bought has a strong odor. Is that normal? >>

I've been using a lutein supplement with 40 mg of lutein and am concerned that this dose may be too high. Are there known harmful side-effects? >>

The vision supplement I take is based on the AREDS2 formula, but it contains a lot of zinc -- 80 mg in the recommended daily serving. Is it necessary, and safe, to take this much zinc every day? >>

Does saffron really improve vision or prevent age-related macular degeneration? >>

See other recent and popular questions >>

COMMENTS

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Patricia19120 March 1, 2020

When we decide to go with a mainly whole food, and plant based diet, one of the unexpected benefits was an end to floaters.

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Cindy18629 November 13, 2019

I along with 5 of my friends have taken Bluebonnet's Eye Antioxidant formula for several years. It has elminated floaters for each of us. If we run out we get them back. I know does not meet the qualifications of a scientific study but it really works. Mostly we only take 1 capsule a day rather than the 2 recommended.

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Mrs. B.17321 November 30, 2018

I have been using a product called Vitalzym by World Nutrition to assist with scar tissue problems. Since I've been on it, all floaters disappeared and have not returned. I am on a permanent routine of two soft gels a day. Update August 2019: I now use one capsule per day of VitalzymXe, taken on an empty stomach (usually when I get up during the night), I continue to feel no tension in my surgery areas and have no floaters.

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Ken17616 March 10, 2019

Which of the Vitalzym products are you using?

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Johan 18101 July 7, 2019

Can you give an update on your experience using this product on scar tissue and eye floaters?

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Diane17066 August 12, 2018

I have been getting a series of 3 MiBoFlo flow (heat) treatments for dry eye in the winter for the past 3 years and also use a Bruder mask (moist heat) over my eyes daily. I have had floaters for many years but they have gotten more persistent and bothersome over the past few months. I wonder whether these heat treatments applied over the eyes for dry eye could be contributing to worsened floaters. Is there any evidence of this and have others experienced this?

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Peggy17004 August 4, 2018

Two subjects do not a study make, but both myself and a neighbor have recently had cataract surgery and our floaters disappeared after that. Who knows why.

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ruth17003 August 4, 2018

Based on my personal experience, hydrolyzed collagen has eliminated my floaters and my dry eye problem.

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Gail17001 August 1, 2018

Curious if any supplements cause an increase in floaters??

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ConsumerLab.com August 8, 2018

Hi Gail - We aren't aware of any studies or reports of supplements causing eye floaters.

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patrick16994 August 1, 2018

the procedure was pioneered by a Dr. at the eye institute in Birmingham Al., University of Alabama. The procedure was done in about 10-15 minutes using Versed - so not totally under - kind of dream like. No pain whatsoever. Patch off the next day and drops for a week I think. It's been about 12 years ago. I am still floater free. They were so bad I had lost ability to focus on reading...not good as I am investment advisor.

Hope that helps

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Richard16998 August 1, 2018

Patrick, is vitrectomy the surgery you are referring to?

In addition, there is a painless procedure using a specially-modified YAG laser to break up and in some cases completely vaporize floaters. A small number of ophthalmologists nationwide specialize in this quick, painless procedure, with the number growing somewhat lately. I had it done in 2001 to great success. Then again in 2016 by a different doctor, for a different floater. While the floater I wanted him to treat went away completely, more-bothersome new ones appeared, probably because he (indefensibly, in my mind) also lasered the safely-reachable partions of a large amorphous floater behind the lens that I wasn't even aware of (i.e., wasn't creating symptoms)! So now I am considering getting a floater-only vitrectomy in that eye.

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patrick16984 August 1, 2018

There is a simple surgical procedure that totally eliminates floaters. I have had it. 100% effective. Took about 10 min and one day with patch.

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ConsumerLab.com August 1, 2018

Hi Patrick - Thank you for sharing your experience with the surgery. We've added some information about that to the Answer.

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DEANE16991 August 1, 2018

Please tell us a bit more about the procedure.....how long did it take and were you "put under"?
I've had floaters since I was a teenager and am now in my 70s and I'm sick of them!
Thanks.

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Carol16983 August 1, 2018

There are no studies, you say, to support this, but now that you mention it, I realize that floaters are no longer as bothersome as they once were before I regularly took collagen gelatin protein. I use both Bulletproof and Great Lakes (and have no financial interest in either. Wish I did!).

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Dianne16982 August 1, 2018

L-Carnosine has totally eliminated the floaters in my eyes. My granddaughter, who has a genetic anomaly called Lattice which creates floaters, takes L-carnosine and it has eliminated her floaters. Another friend who was scheduled for cataract surgery started taking L-carnosine and he was able to cancel his surgery. These are just a few people, but it is worth a try to take it. The eye has the highest amount of L-carnosine and it is an antioxidant. So it can help in many respects.

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ConsumerLab.com August 1, 2018

Hi Dianne - Thank you for sharing this. There is some preliminary evidence that L-carnosine may help to protect proteins and cell membranes (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19441807) and eye drops containing a particular form of carnosine (N-acetylcarnosine) may help for cataracts (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19487926). However, there do not appear to be any clinical studies on the effects of taking oral L-carnosine supplements for eye floaters.

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Gregory 16990 August 1, 2018

I am encouraged to see these comments as I have experienced increased floaters over the last 90 days. The opthamolgist did not seem to have alternatives to resolving them after 2 visits. I will give this a try.

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Christine17041 August 6, 2018

Hi. I am not sure what your history/age is but just some "food for thought": tickborne infections can affect the eyes causing floaters/intermittent blurred vision (especially Lyme or Bartonella-related infection) & it may affect 1 eye or both.

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ConsumerLab.com August 7, 2018

Thank you for mentioning this Christine. We've added information about Lyme disease and eye floaters in the answer above.

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DEANE16992 August 1, 2018

Hello, Please tell us what brand and what dosage of L-Carnosineshe used?
Thanks.

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Dorothy17748 April 15, 2019

I'm rather late in responding to the question about eye drops containing the particular form of carnosine but Life Extension (www.lef.org) sells Brite Eyes and here is part of their information and as you see, it lists N-acetyl-carnosine.
From their website, it says:
The Brite Eyes III formula contains two clinically validated lubricants (hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and glycerin) that are FDA-approved for ophthalmic use without irritation. The Brite Eyes III formula also contains the antioxidant N-acetyl-carnosine, which helps protect the active ingredients against glycation.1-6

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Pamela18706 December 8, 2019

Thank you for these invaluale posts on floater help. My husband has developed them and is beginning to fear driving at dusk. Will give this a try and report back. Thanks

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This CL Answer initially posted on 7/31/2018.

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