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Eye floaters

What are floaters in the eye?

Floaters are a very common eye condition and are usually nothing to worry about. Usually, they tend to sink out of your vision fast enough for them not to bother you.

They are usually due to small clusters of cells breaking off the inside wall of the eye and floating in the gel which fills the eye. Unless there are many of them or they are accompanied by other visual phenomena such as lights or a 'curtain' across part of the vision, they are unlikely to be significant. It is always worth mentioning them on the next visit to your optometrist. If floaters are numerous or accompanied by other visual symptoms, get them checked out urgently by an optometrist.

What are the symptoms of floaters?

Floaters appear as black or translucent spots or strands, which give the impression of seeing something ‘float’ across your field of vision. Most are very small, and usually, they tend to sink out of your vision fast enough for them not to bother you.

They are most noticeable when looking at a bright, plain background, like a white wall, or when looking up to the sky. You will likely see more floaters in your vision as you get older and if you are short‑sighted.

The appearance of new floaters may also be accompanied by seeing flashing lights, such as streaks of bright white light flickering across your vision.

On rare occasions, new floaters and flashing lights can sometimes indicate retinal detachment, a potentially serious condition. This can be treated with early detection, so it is important to contact your optometrist immediately if you notice new floaters, flashing lights, or both.

What causes eye floaters?

Floaters are tiny pieces of debris in the eye’s fluid, known as the vitreous humour. This is the jelly‑like substance found in the space in the middle of the eyeball. As children, the vitreous humour is fairly solid, but as we age the ‘jelly’ naturally becomes more watery. Floaters occur when clumps of the vitreous humour start moving around within this watery substance.

The dots or strands formed cast shadows on the retina, which leads to an interruption in vision and therefore the appearance of something floating in front of your eye.

What eye floater treatment is available?

Generally, longstanding and unchanging floaters are harmless, but will always be noted by your optometrist during your sight test. During your examination, your optometrist will be able to see any floaters at the back of the eye and record these to monitor changes.

Should someone have many floaters that impact the quality of their vision, Specsavers can arrange a referral to a hospital or ophthalmologist to see if treatment would benefit.

Floaters FAQ's

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If you’ve noticed a change in your vision, or have experienced any symptoms mentioned above, it’s worth booking an appointment with one of our optometrists.

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