Eye floaters are small dark spots, dots, lines, or cobweb-like shapes that appear in your field of vision, especially when looking at a bright surface like a white wall or blue sky.
They commonly occur with aging, but floaters in the eye can also affect younger individuals due to retinal detachment, trauma, or eye injuries.
Treatment for eye floaters is not always necessary. However, if they become very bothersome and interfere with daily tasks, an ophthalmologist may recommend surgery.
Symptoms of eye floaters
The most common symptoms of eye floaters include:
- Dark shapes that move with eye movement
- Spots, threads, lines, or cobwebs floating across vision
- More noticeable when looking at bright surfaces, such as white walls
- Flashes of light in the field of vision
- Decreased or darkened peripheral vision
It’s important to see an ophthalmologist as soon as these symptoms appear to determine the cause and decide whether treatment is needed.
How diagnosis is confirmed
Eye floaters are diagnosed by an ophthalmologist through a detailed evaluation of symptoms, when they began, and any relevant medical history, along with specific eye exams.
The doctor may perform a dilated eye exam, slit-lamp examination, and retinal mapping to check the vitreous and retina for any underlying causes.
What causes eye floaters
The main causes of floaters in the eye include:
- Natural aging of the eye
- Retinal detachment
- Retinal tear or rupture
- Bleeding into the vitreous cavity
- Diabetic retinopathy
Other causes can include infections, eye injuries, or trauma.
How treatment is done
Treatment for eye floaters should always be guided by an ophthalmologist.
In most cases, no specific treatment is needed. Eye floaters often fade or become less noticeable over time, and regular monitoring may be all that’s recommended.
In certain situations, vitrectomy surgery may be suggested to remove or dissolve the floaters by replacing the vitreous with another substance.
If floaters are caused by retinal detachment, other surgical treatments may include laser surgery or cryopexy, depending on the condition.