What Causes Eye Floaters in My Vision?

If you have noticed little dots, or squiggles in your vision, that seem to float away when you try to focus on them directly, those are most likely eye floaters.

The Most Common Cause of Eye Floaters

Our eyes are contained by a jelly-like substance made of tiny cells called the vitreous. Over time, the vitreous can thicken, causing cells to build up into tiny clumps that will float around inside our eyes. These clumps can cast shadows over your retina, making them appear in your line of vision as if they are floating in front of your eye. These shadows are harmless eye floaters.

Typically, eye floaters are a natural result of our eyes aging. Anyone can experience eye floaters at some point in their life, and most of the time they can be easily ignored. They are actually quite a common experience, especially around 30-40 years of age. Floaters can become more noticeable when you look at a blank, bright surface such as a wall or the sky.

Eye floaters can be a little alarming the first time you see them. However, eye floaters are present almost all the time. They usually go unnoticed because they are so faint, or occur outside of your normal field of vision.

Noticing a few eye floaters is normal for the average person, but there are a number of factors that can increase their severity including:

Eye trauma
Nearsightedness
Diabetic retinopathy
Eye inflammation
Complications following eye surgery

Many of these factors will be followed by symptoms such as eye pain, peripheral vision loss, and/ or blurred vision. If eye floaters do suddenly become more frequent, it could mean there is a more severe issue at hand. If you are experiencing an immoderate amount of floaters, contact our ophthalmologists at NeoVision Eye Center as soon as possible.

How to Spot the Symptoms of Eye Floaters in My Vision

Eye floaters are usually tiny blurry or shadowy shapes that can dart around your field of vision. They are also usually difficult to look at directly. While floaters can look like they are in front of your eye or even on your lens, they are actually floating around inside your eye.

Eye Floater Shapes

Dots or specks
Rippled lines
Small whips
Webbing
Rings
And many other shapes

It is important to talk to your eye doctor if you experience a sudden increase of eye floaters. This could be an early signifier of a more serious underlying condition.

Can Eye Floaters in My Vision Be Dangerous?

In most cases, floaters are normal and completely harmless to your overall vision quality and eye health. However, in rare cases, eye floaters could be a sign of a more serious issue. It is important to inform your doctor if they become more frequent or impair your ability to see clearly.

On occasion, floaters can be caused by more chronic issues such as:

Hemorrhage
Swelling of the back of the eye
Bleeding in the vitreous
Eye infections
Ocular tumors
And various medications

These causes and conditions require immediate intervention by an eye doctor, but can be easily diagnosed during a comprehensive eye examination.

Eye Floaters and Retinal Detachment

Eye floaters are a very common symptom of retinal detachment. However, retinal detachment will usually be accompanied by other more severe symptoms including flashes of light and loss of peripheral vision. Retinal detachment is a very serious condition that requires immediate attention to ensure the long-term health of your eyes and quality of vision.

How Do You Treat Eye Floaters?

Vitreous-clumps like eye floaters are natural and harmless. Therefore surgical treatment or intervention is rare and not usually recommended. Generally, eye floaters fade over time, but if you find them to be a disturbance, you can usually move them out of your line of sight by simply blinking or rolling your eyes side to side.

What is Causing Eye Floaters in My Vision? Scheduling an Eye Exam at NeoVision Eye Center to Learn More

NeoVision has been providing Bay Area patients with advanced vision care for over 20 years. A comprehensive eye exam at our Union City office is the best way to ensure that there is no severe cause for your eye floaters.