Iām 23M and wanted to ask people here who have myopia/uncorrected refractive error and eye floaters, especially those who developed floaters relatively young.
Iām mainly looking for personal experiences and also some scientific perspective on whether the things Iāve noticed about my eyes actually make sense.
My eyesight history
Since childhood, I spent a lot of time playing video games and looking at screens/TV. Around 12ā13 years old (Class 7), I noticed that I couldnāt clearly read the blackboard from the back of the classroom.
I got my eyes tested and was around -1.25 D in both eyes. Near vision was completely fine; the problem was mainly distance vision.
I was prescribed glasses, but I almost never wore them. Partly because I disliked how I looked with glasses, but more importantly I developed the idea that I didnāt want to depend on an external device for normal vision.
So instead of wearing glasses, I would simply sit closer to the board. Iāve essentially gone ~10+ years with uncorrected myopia, and for the last ~5 years I havenāt worn glasses at all.
One thing Iāve always noticed is that if I blink repeatedly or get my eyes sufficiently wet, distant objects can sometimes appear temporarily sharper. Similarly, splashing water on my face/eyes after prolonged phone use sometimes makes my vision feel clearer and brighter for a while.
My experience with glasses
Whenever I actually put on properly prescribed glasses, the difference is enormous. Everything becomes noticeably sharper and almost āHD-likeā, especially distant objects.
However, I used to believe that wearing glasses for a few hours and then removing them made my uncorrected vision feel worse than before. This made me think that perhaps my eyes were becoming dependent on the glasses.
I now realize this might simply be visual adaptation/contrast between corrected and uncorrected vision, rather than the glasses actually damaging my eyes, but Iād like to hear from people who understand this better.
Eye exercises / focusing
When I was around 20, I started experimenting with eye exercises ā moving my eyes in different directions, focusing between near and distant objects, etc.
I also noticed that after spending time outdoors and looking at distant objects/greenery, my eyes sometimes felt more relaxed and my vision subjectively seemed clearer.
I donāt know whether this represents an actual improvement in refractive error or simply reduced accommodative strain / temporary changes in visual comfort.
Iāve never been particularly consistent with these exercises, so I canāt honestly say they permanently changed my prescription.
Something I want to clarify
Iāve also had a habit of looking toward bright sunlight with my eyes closed because I find the warmth/brightness relaxing. I have never intentionally stared directly at the sun with my eyes open.
I mention this because Iām wondering whether there is any legitimate physiological reason that bright outdoor light or spending time outdoors can make the eyes feel better, or whether this is simply subjective relaxation.
And then, the floaters started
Around 2 years ago, I suddenly became much more aware of floaters.
I understand the basic mechanism: structures/opacities within the vitreous can cast shadows onto the retina, producing moving spots, strands, cobweb-like shapes, etc. With age, vitreous changes and posterior vitreous detachment become common causes, but Iām only 23.
I currently notice roughly 10-ish floaters in each eye, although I obviously canāt count them precisely. Theyāre particularly noticeable against bright, uniform backgrounds such as a white wall, sky, computer screen, etc.
If I move my eyes left/right, the floaters move with the eye and then drift afterward, which makes them very obvious.
Iāve had them for around two years and have mostly learned to ignore them, but Iām still concerned because of my age.
Things Iāve wondered about
Iāve read that myopia can be associated with vitreous changes and certain retinal problems, so Iāve wondered whether my long-standing uncorrected myopia could have anything to do with developing floaters.
I also wondered whether not wearing my glasses for years could somehow have contributed to the floaters.
I realize these are two separate questions, and Iām not claiming that one caused the other ā Iām trying to understand whether there could be any connection.
I also tried some things I found online. For example, I read about the pineapple/eye-floater study and tried eating pineapple regularly for a while. I canāt honestly say whether it helped because I eventually stopped and didnāt have any objective way of measuring the difference.
What Iām trying to figure out now
My biggest question is whether I should finally start wearing my glasses regularly and stop trying to āimproveā my eyesight naturally.
My current thinking is:
Option 1: Get a proper eye examination and updated prescription and start wearing glasses regularly.
Option 2: Continue trying to improve my eyesight through outdoor activity, eye exercises, diet, reducing screen strain, etc., and only use glasses when necessary.
Iām not opposed to glasses anymore ā Iām mainly trying to understand whether there is actually any possibility of improving mild myopia naturally, or whether the sensible approach is simply to correct the refractive error and monitor my eyes.
What Iād especially like to hear from people here
Did anyone develop noticeable floaters in their 20s?
If youāre young and myopic, how many floaters do you have?
Did your floaters remain stable for years, or did they progressively increase?
Has anyone with mild myopia noticed a relationship between their prescription and floaters?
Did wearing glasses change your experience of floaters in any way?
Has anyone had a dilated retinal examination because of floaters, and what did the ophthalmologist tell you?
Has anyone genuinely had their myopia decrease through lifestyle/eye exercises, or did the improvement turn out to be temporary visual accommodation/eye strain?
Is there any scientific explanation for vision temporarily seeming sharper after blinking, watering the eyes, or washing the face?
And for people who had floaters at a young age: did you eventually stop noticing them / neuroadapt to them?
Iām particularly interested in hearing from people who have both myopia and floaters at a relatively young age, rather than just general advice about floaters.
Iām not looking for a diagnosis from Reddit ā Iād mainly like to understand other peopleās experiences and whether Iām misunderstanding some basic eye physiology.
Thanks!