Amanda,
i have had just about every symptom under the sun, and floaters were among them. It's amazing how just your jaws can mess up your whole body. Last night, I had dizziness and nausea. It had gone away for a couple of weeks, but then came back last night.

I went to an orthodontist who specialized in tmj. A lot of people go to ent's, general practitioner's, etc.; but, you really need to go see an ortho.

Hope you feel better.

Hi amanda...Funny you mentioning floaters and tmj....For the longest time I kept trying to figure out what the black smokey lines were, I of course panicked, I have so many different symptom so I never put my eye problems with tmj. I have them all the time and they get worse with a tention headaches, wich I get all the time. My eye doc says its because im aging and that its normal. So I guess its nothing to worry about....Unless you get flashes with the floaters , then its time to have it checked.

Edna

I've always had floaters, but when all of this started, I all of a sudden got 3 more big ones. My eyes are constantly sore along with my stiff facial muscles. I wish there was something I could do about these ridicoulous symptoms!

I don't know if floaters are specific to tmj because I had one before I got tmj I believe. Sores eyes can be related to tmj though.

Regarding the sore face muscles, try changing the way you hold your head, neck, shoulders and back. Your face muscles relax when the neck is kept back and the chin down (not too far down). Because of the computer we tend to stick our neck and chins out more to look at the screen. You should keep your back straight, shoulder back and down also. After 25 years I just started focusing on this and my pain level in my face has decreased a lot. There's not so much tension. Also remember not to clench or even bring your teeth together (except chewing of course). If you have a problem with this, put your tongue between your teeth to remind yourself to keep teeth apart at all times.

Also, ask your doc if you can take something like zanaflex before bedtime. It is the first muscle relaxant to work on me, but it also knocks me out (which is okay really). Good mt on the face and intra-orally are great also.

Hope this helps...
Carol

I have had tmj for at least 10 years. Never went to a doctor or anything like that. This past 7-8 months or so, my jaw on the right side has been really bad. It pops in the moring, and when I don't pop it, it feels like all this pressure on my right jaw area. I've had the floaters ever since my jaw got worse. I was so scared to go to the doctor. Back in november, I went to the eye doctor, everything was fine, except chronic dry eye.
Other than that, everything was great. I didn't know why I was having these floaters. Now I know that it's because on my tmj. I just learned to live with the pain. I do get dizzy spells. Feel nasea every once in awhile. I've had dizzy spells ever since this tmj happened.I have bad headaches, like pressure on my head. Anybody ever feel like this????

Yea, I have headaches and constant pressure feeling on top of my head. My floaters also developed when my jaw got bad. Do you have any strange visual aura when you look at the sky when its sunny? I also developed this along with dry, sore eyes. Also I have been having problems swallowing and some pain down my nwck, also it feels like my glands are chronically swollen. Do you have any of these sympoms? This tmj really isn't fun, but i'm learning to deal with it!
Amanda

You should consider seeing a dentist who can make bite splints. It sounds like you are clenching and/or grinding your teeth at night. A good bite splint (which will need to be adjusted frequently at first) is really very important in these type of cases. If you continue to pop your jaw, you will cause damage to the joint. That is my biggest problem now (damage to joint after 25 years of popping off & on).

I hope you get the relief you need.
God bless...
Carol

Everytime I look into the sun, it looks like a bunch of little microrganisms under a microscope. That happened one day I went tanning. I always have floaters everytime I look into the sky. Dosen't matter if its sunny or not. Ive been to the eye doctor, still ok. So maybe it is the tmj. Maybe if you have it bad enough like I do, like when I wake up in the moring and I pop my right jaw, it feels like its breaking. Maybe it does something to your eyes. Because its not just a cowinceadince all of us have the same eye problems. It all goes back to tmj.

I think I may have the same problem. I have had floaters since about a year ago and when its bright they are more apparent. I also see small dots probably like what you describe. This problem is only in my left eye. Also sometimes when I work on the computer too long my left eye gets tired and I feel a slight deep pain, although this may be due to stress also.

I don't really have a pain in my jaw and it doesn't bother me when I eat, however when I move the bottom part of my jaw left and right I hear a cracking sound coming from the left end of my jaw joint. Probably sounds like when you crack your fingers. I am not sure what you mean by popping your jaw, do you mean the same thing?

When I first had those symptoms I was extremely scared but luckily since then they have stayed constant. I never visited a doctor because I have an extreme phobia with doctors so much that I instead sit and waste my time worrying about it.

Does this sound like tmj also?

I think it is a symptom of tmj. I never really had these problems since my right side of my jaw was hurting. I could go to the dentist, but I don't have insurance. That sucks. I've learned to live with it for over 15 years. It's really not that bad, only in the moring.To me it sounds like you have syptoms of tmj, but are not bad enough. If I was you, get it taken care of now, so it doesn't get worse. Everytime I have a "flare up" my right eye hurts, and thats the side that bothers me more. I think that my left side is starting to do the same.

Why how expensive can it be to go to the dentist? Since it's about your health isn't it worth it? My problem is different, I am too scared to go, I have no idea why I understand I should go, but I cannot make that decision.

Where does it hurt your head or near your mouth? Are you sure it is not related to any cavities or anything? May I ask how old you are, can this happen at any age? I am 26.

Im 24. It is worth it, but I also have three babies I need to take care of first. It hurts on my right side, but it hasn't hurt in awhile. Whenever I get insurance i'll go. But for now, i'll live with it. I lived with it for 15 yrs, whats a couple more?

Omggggg! Sherry I have the same thing!! Its soow eird. I have tmj, I think . Yeah when I look in the sky its like there are microorganisms like you are looking under a microscope under them. They are like pixels of gray and white. Sometimes clear dots. Its really weird. I don't know if this is related to tmj or everyone has it?? Help??!

I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE HAS BEEN TAKING NEUROTIN FOR THEIR TMJ? I AM 53 AND NOW HAVE HUNDREDS OF COBWEBS JUST OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS, ESPECIALLY SINCE MY DOSAGE WAS INCREASED. I KNOW THE FDA CAME OUT WITH A BLIP ABOUT 1 YEAR AGO ABOUT NEUROTIN AND SIDE EFFECTS, INCLUDING THE EYES. I HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH RA AND A FORM OF LUPUS, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS THE ISSUE. BUT I HAVE HAD HEREDITARY TMJ AND HAVE HAD JAW BROKEN. BACK TO THE FLOATERS: NO ONE WOULD COMMIT TO THE CONNECTION OF FLOATERS AND NAUSEA, WHICH I HAVE NOW ESPECIALLY AFTER DRIVING. ANY THOUGHTS, INSIGHTS?

sounds like a lot of trigeminal nerve pressure here. everyone relax. the nerve is in the cheek and it goes to the eye. pressure on that can cause some of this.

Dyan, that nerve, in the cheeks. trigmenial nerve has three divisions, one is called the opthamalic division(goes to the eyes). IS this truely what causes all these vision problems???? what do you know about it? i have blurred vision, eyes not working with brain. blind spots, and floaters, and lack of light bothers me, plus dizziness too, it drives me nuts. NUTS NUTS NUTS. i like to list symptoms so others who are scared can see. there is something comforting about knowing. others are getting it too!!!!! love cindy

i do beleive that this nerve wreaks havock with our vision. sometimes i get blurred vision and i cant focus and other times my eyes black out.

yes it is good to know you arent alone.

i cannot tell you all how elated i am @ the moment! i've just found this forum and have to keep pinching myself. i have had tmj for the last 12 yrs. my symptoms are everything from dizziness, neck & shoulder pain, fatigue - my gosh. so much more. now this eye floater thing was the last thing i'd expect to see as tmj probable cause!!! i have the black floaters, as well as the clear ones that i can see when it's bright, but i also get a purple aura @ times w/ quick flecks of purple. does anyone get that as well?????

i am so happy to be reading these!! i feel alot better!!!!!! emotionally anyway

thats great that you feel better even if it is just emotionally. its a beautiful thing to not be alone.