Have you ever noticed small spots, threads, or cobweb-like shapes drifting across your vision—especially when looking at a bright sky or white wall? Those are called eye floaters, and they’re more common than you might think.
What Are Eye Floaters?
Floaters are tiny clumps of gel or cells inside the vitreous, the clear gel-like substance that fills your eye. As light enters the eye, these clumps cast shadows on the retina, which is what you see floating around. They often move when you try to look directly at them and seem to drift away.
Floaters are a normal part of aging, especially after age 50. The vitreous slowly shrinks and becomes more liquid, causing fibers inside it to clump together.
When Should You Worry?
In most cases, floaters are harmless and simply annoying. However, sudden changes in the number, size, or shape of floaters—especially if accompanied by flashes of light or loss of peripheral vision—can be a sign of a retinal tear or detachment, which is a medical emergency.
What Can You Do?
- Don’t panic. Most floaters fade or become less noticeable with time.
- See an eye doctor. Especially if floaters appear suddenly or come with other symptoms.
- Surgery (vitrectomy) is rarely needed, but in severe cases, it can be an option to remove floaters.
- Laser treatment is a newer method used by some specialists to break up larger floaters.
Final Tip
If you start noticing floaters, schedule a comprehensive eye exam to rule out serious issues and ensure your vision stays healthy.