Eye floaters are small specks or strands that drift through one’s field of vision. They can appear as black or gray dots, squiggly lines, threads, or cobwebs. These perceptions are internal to the eye.
What Exactly Are Eye Floaters?
Eye floaters are tiny bits of debris within the vitreous humor, the clear, gel-like substance filling the eyeball. These particles cast shadows onto the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, which are then perceived as floaters. The shadows are what you see, not the particles themselves.
The debris primarily consists of microscopic collagen fibers or cellular remnants. As the eye ages, changes occur in this gel, leading to the clumping of these fibers.
Common Causes of Eye Floaters
The most common reason eye floaters appear is age-related changes in the vitreous humor. As people age, the vitreous gel begins to liquefy and shrink. This liquefaction causes the collagen fibers within the gel to clump, forming the visible floaters.
A frequent cause in middle-aged and older adults is Posterior Vitreous Detachment (PVD). This occurs when the shrinking vitreous gel pulls away from the retina. While PVD is a natural part of aging, the detachment can create new floaters or make existing ones more noticeable. Less common causes include inflammation or bleeding within the eye, often linked to conditions like uveitis, diabetic retinopathy, or eye injury.
Do Eye Floaters Disappear?
While floaters rarely “disappear” completely, their perception often diminishes significantly over time. Floaters typically remain within the eye permanently. The brain learns to adapt and ignore these visual disturbances, making them less noticeable or even imperceptible.
Gravity also causes the floaters to settle out of the central line of vision, moving to the bottom of the vitreous cavity. This natural settling contributes to the decreased perception. The adaptation process can vary among individuals, generally taking weeks to several months.
When to Seek Medical Advice
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience a sudden increase in the number or size of floaters. This change, particularly when accompanied by flashes of light, could signal a retinal tear or retinal detachment.
Other symptoms include a curtain or shadow obscuring part of your vision, or any sudden vision loss. These symptoms are medical emergencies that require prompt evaluation by an eye specialist to prevent permanent vision impairment.
Managing Persistent Floaters
For most individuals, no specific treatment is necessary for typical eye floaters, as they tend to become less bothersome over time. However, when floaters are particularly dense or numerous, significantly interfering with daily activities like reading or driving, treatment options might be considered.
One option is vitrectomy, a surgical procedure where the vitreous gel containing the floaters is removed and replaced with a saline solution. Another approach is YAG laser vitreolysis, which uses a laser to break up large floaters into smaller, less noticeable pieces. Both procedures carry risks, including cataract formation, retinal tear, or retinal detachment, and are generally reserved for severe cases.