Bothered by Eye Floaters?

Floaters appear as black spots that can be semi-transparent or dark and appear to float in front of your vision.

Some people are born with floaters. For others, floaters occur with age, when the tiny pieces of the eye’s gel-like vitreous break loose within the inner back portion of the eye. When we are born and throughout our youth, the vitreous has a gel-like consistency. As we age, the vitreous begins to dissolve and liquefy to create a watery center.  Some undissolved gel-like particles will occasionally float around the more liquid center of the vitreous, which is why we refer to them as floaters. Even though floaters can be a nuisance, most people become used to them and they rarely cause problems with your vision.

Occasionally an increase in floaters can be a sign of problems inside the eye. If you notice a sudden increase in floaters – either one or more large ones or a shower of tiny ones – call Gailey Eye Clinic immediately at 1-800-325-7706. This may be a sign of a retinal detachment or other serious problems.

The College of Optometrists. 2000-2017. Lookafteryoureyes.org.