Eye floaters are most commonly caused by the separation of the vitreous body from the inner walls of the eye. As you age, the vitreous gel in your eye liquefies and shrinks, thus weakening the inner wall. When the vitreous detaches, it begins to condense—this causes the floaters the average person notices in their vision. It’s not a problem and doesn’t require any medical treatment.

When Floaters are Cause for Concern

Since eye floaters and flashes are fairly common—according to EverydayHealth.com, 7 out of every 10 people report having experienced them—you shouldn’t be alarmed if you notice them occasionally.

However, increased eye floaters and flashes often indicate that the vitreous is pulling away from the retina. When the vitreous separates from the inner walls of the eye, it remains adhered to parts of the retina. This rare attachment can cause tears in the retina, resulting in vision loss should a retinal detachment occur. The good news is that laser surgery can seal retinal tears if detected early. This surgery keeps the retina from detaching, saving your vision.

In addition, floaters can be caused by bleeding within the eye, and retinal tears can cause this bleeding. Another disease that can cause floaters is diabetes—this is due to the abnormal vessel formation that can occur with this disease.

Some symptoms of a more serious condition include:

  1. A noticeably large eye floater or a shower of eye floaters
  2. Inexplicable, sudden, and frequent flashes of light in the eye
  3. Sudden and obvious loss of peripheral vision

Most of the time, floaters aren’t worth worrying about, but as with anything, make sure to see your eye doctor. While rare, floaters could be a symptom of a much more severe eye disease. The ophthalmologists at Vistar Eye Center can examine your eyes to ensure that they are healthy.

Are Floaters Floating?

Despite their name, eye floaters aren’t floating in front of your eye, but they are inside your eye. What you see when eye floaters appear is the shadow they cast on your retina. Eye flashes are similar to eye floaters. They occur when the vitreous rubs or pulls against the retina. This causes a slightly different reaction, appearing as flashes or lightning streaks.

There is no specific treatment for eye floaters and flashes, but some medications will help. If you’re experiencing a lot of eye floaters, flashes, or big clumps of clouds in your vision, speak with your ophthalmologist about your treatment options.