More than a few have noticed the striking similarity between the mycelial growth form of Candida Albicans as shown below:
and the ultrastructure of "eye floaters" that drift unobtrusively across your field of vision. Does this mean that these individuals are actually observing Candida Albicans that has "escaped" from the expected locales where it can normally be found?
The vitreous humor of the eyes is the clear gel that fills the cavity between the lens and the retina. Although it is mostly water it has a viscosity two to four times greater than water and can firmly support the surrounding elements of the eyeball. It is supposed to be completely transparent, but anything that is suspended in the fluid may be visible because of the refractive shadows that are projected upon the retina.
The turgidity of the vitreous humor is supplied by its content of hyaluronic acid, a polymer of D-glucuronic acid and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. In the presence of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, Candida Albicans shifts from its budding phase to the germ tube morphic shape shown above, consistent with the structures described by individuals with eye floaters!
See Castilla et al. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9884022
Eye floaters are experienced by otherwise healthy individuals without the usual suite of expected markers of systemic candidiasis. What is going on?