Ask Doctor Chris: Spotted vision and facial hair

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Every week we partner up with our sister magazine, Woman, to bring you expert health advice from This Morning's Dr Chris Steele MBE, health journalist of the year. This week he answers your questions about vision problems and excess facial hair.

The problem: 'I've got spots before my eyes'

I have regular eye tests, and although I don't need glasses I notice floating black spots in my vision. What are these?

The solution

They're 'floaters', small flecks that seem to float in front of the eyes. They move rapidly when your eye moves, slowly when the eyes are fixed. They're due to tiny pieces of tissue that float in the jelly-like liquid inside the eyeball, casting a shadow on the retina at the back of the eye.

Mostly they're harmless, but if they suddenly increase in number, seek urgent medical help as they can be a sign of serious damage.

The problem: 'My facial hair embarrasses me'

I'm a 33-year-old single woman with facial hair that I'd like to get rid of. Bleaching treatments don't seem to work, so what are my options?

The solution

My questions are these: are your periods irregular? Have you had fertility problems? Are you overweight? Do you still get acne, and do you have excess body hair, not just facial? If your answer is yes to any of these, you may have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome - cysts on your ovaries that cause marked hormonal changes. Ask your GP to refer you to an endocrinologist (hormone specialist). Don't spend any more money on hair removal treatments - find the cause.