Television presenter Phillip Schofield sought personal health advice from This Morning ‘s Dr Sara during Tuesday’s edition of the ITV daytime show.
Phillip 57, and his co-host Holly Willoughby, 39, chatted to the health expert about keeping your eyes healthy.
During the segment, Phillip revealed he suffers from “debilitating eye floaters” and he is looking at surgery which currently only available in America.
Dr Sara told the star: “Floaters occur when you get small dots across your visual eyesight, and they tend to be more noticeable when you are looking at bright white walls or a piece of paper or even at the sky.
“They are not usually anything to worry about, and it occurs as we get older because the jelly-like substance in our eye becomes a bit more liquified as we get older, and that can cause clumps.
Phillip Schofield suffers from “debilitating eye floaters” and plans to be the first person in the UK to receive a vitrectomy, which is currently only available in the US (Image: ITV)
“It can also cause the retina to detach slightly for the edges, and that’s what causes those shadows.”
She continued: “But for most people, nothing to worry about, your brain actually adjusts to them and you stop seeing them.
“But if you do notice a sudden influx of them, that weren’t there before, that is something you need to see a doctor about, because it might mean your retina is starting to detach completely, and that can be a medical emergency.”
Phillip and co-host Holly Willoughby chatted to Dr Sara about keeping your eyes healthy on Tuesday’s show (Image: ITV)
ITV star Phillip responded: “Well, my retinas are not detaching, but I have debilitating eye floaters, and funnily enough, I had a person who is on the TV contact me the other day and said, ‘I heard you’ve got floaters, what do you do?’
“I am at the cutting edge of all this, let me tell you, because the only way to treat them is a vitrectomy, where they suck the jelly out of your eye.
“Within 12 months you get a cataract, so they are trying to pioneer a half vitrectomy, which started in America – see I know a lot about this.
Phillip admitted that his vision “drives him insane” (Image: ITV)
Phillip continued to tell Holly, Dr Sara and viewers at home about his hopes to become the person in the UK to receive the treatment.
“You have half the vitrectomy, takes the floaters out, but you don’t get a cataract,” he said.
“And I am hoping I might be the first person in the country to get this.”
An unconvinced Holly asked: “Would you want to be the first?”
Phillip replied: “Yes I would, because they drive me insane!
“My vision is like a filthy bathroom window drifting across my eyes, and it drives me crazy.”
This Morning airs weekdays on ITV at 10am
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
