Eye floaters are small specks, dots, strands, or cobweb-like shapes that drift through your vision. You may notice them most when looking at a bright sky, white wall, or computer screen. Common causes of eye floaters include normal age-related changes inside the eye, nearsightedness, inflammation, previous eye injury or surgery, and retinal tears.
Most eye floaters are harmless. However, a sudden increase in floaters, flashes of light, blurry vision, loss of side vision, or a curtain-like shadow can indicate a retinal tear or detachment that requires prompt attention.
If you notice sudden floaters or other warning signs, call Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center at (602) 955-1000 or schedule an eye exam online.
What Are Eye Floaters?
Eye floaters form when tiny clumps of collagen or other material develop within the vitreous, the clear, gel-like substance filling the inside of the eye. These clumps cast shadows on the retina, creating the shapes you see moving across your vision.
Common Causes of Eye Floaters
The cause of eye floaters usually starts inside the vitreous, the clear gel that fills the eye. As that gel changes, shrinks, or pulls on the retina, you may notice shadows that look like drifting spots or strands. Some causes are harmless, while others need prompt evaluation from a retina specialist.
Posterior Vitreous Detachment and Age-Related Changes
As you age, the vitreous gel inside the eye gradually becomes more liquid and may begin pulling away from the retina. This process is called posterior vitreous detachment, or PVD, and it is one of the most common causes of new eye floaters. Although PVD is often part of normal aging, it can occasionally create a retinal tear. New floaters should therefore be evaluated, especially when they appear suddenly or occur with flashes of light.
Myopia (Nearsightedness)
People with moderate or severe nearsightedness may develop vitreous changes and posterior vitreous detachment earlier than people without myopia. This can increase the likelihood of noticing eye floaters and may also increase the risk of retinal tears or detachment.
Uveitis (Inflammation)
Uveitis is inflammation inside the eye that can affect the iris, retina, vitreous, or other surrounding structures. Inflammatory cells and debris may enter the vitreous and cast shadows on the retina, causing spots, strands, or other floaters to appear.
Additional symptoms may include eye redness, pain, light sensitivity, and blurry vision. Because untreated inflammation can damage delicate eye structures and threaten vision, new floaters accompanied by these symptoms should be evaluated promptly.
Retinal Tears and Detachment
A sudden surge in floaters, especially with flashes of light or a dark curtain in your side vision, can signal a retinal tear or retinal detachment. These symptoms require urgent evaluation because the retina can detach from the back of the eye, threatening vision. If you notice these changes, contact Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center right away or seek urgent eye care.
Eye Injury, Bleeding, and Surgery
Eye trauma or bleeding inside the eye can cause new floaters by releasing blood cells or other material into the vitreous. Some people may also notice existing floaters more clearly following cataract surgery or another eye procedure. New or rapidly increasing floaters after an injury or surgery should be evaluated promptly.
When to See a Doctor
Schedule an eye exam right away if you notice:
- A sudden increase in new floaters
- Flashes of light
- A dark curtain, veil, or shadow in your vision
- Loss of side vision
- New blurry vision with floaters
- Floaters after an eye injury
- Floaters with eye pain, redness, or light sensitivity
These symptoms do not always mean you have a retinal tear or detachment, but you should not wait to have them evaluated. A prompt dilated eye exam allows an eye doctor to examine the vitreous and peripheral retina for tears, bleeding, inflammation, or detachment.
If you experience sudden vision loss, a dark curtain or shadow, or a rapid increase in flashes and floaters, call (602) 955-1000 or seek immediate eye care.
How Eye Floaters Are Diagnosed
During your examination, your eye doctor may:
- Dilate your pupils to examine the vitreous and retina.
- Use a slit lamp and specialized lenses to inspect the structures inside your eye.
- Examine the peripheral retina for tears, bleeding, or detachment.
- Use retinal photography, optical coherence tomography, ultrasound, or other imaging when additional information is needed.
If your exam shows a retinal tear, detachment, bleeding, inflammation, or another retina concern, your doctor may connect you with Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center’s retina specialists for advanced evaluation and treatment.
Eye Floaters Treatment and Management
Treatment depends on what is causing the floaters, whether the retina is healthy, and how much the symptoms interfere with daily activities.
Observation and Monitoring
Most age-related eye floaters do not require treatment. Some settle outside the central field of vision or become less noticeable as the brain adapts to them. Your eye doctor may recommend monitoring when an examination confirms that the retina is healthy.
Treating an Underlying Eye Condition
When floaters are caused by inflammation, bleeding, a retinal tear, or retinal detachment, treatment focuses on the underlying condition. Depending on the diagnosis, care may involve medication, laser treatment, retinal surgery, or continued monitoring.
Vitrectomy for Severe Eye Floaters
A pars plana vitrectomy removes the vitreous gel and replaces it with a clear fluid that the eye naturally replenishes. The procedure can significantly reduce visually disruptive floaters, but it also carries risks, including cataract development, infection, bleeding, and retinal detachment.
Because of these risks, vitrectomy is generally considered only when persistent floaters substantially interfere with vision and daily activities. A retina specialist can determine whether the potential benefit outweighs the risks.
Protecting Your Retina
You cannot prevent every age-related floater, but you can support your eye health by:
- Scheduling regular comprehensive eye exams.
- Wearing protective eyewear during activities that could cause an eye injury.
- Managing diabetes, high blood pressure, and other health conditions that may affect retinal blood vessels.
- Seeking prompt care for sudden floaters, flashes, shadows, or vision loss.
Know When Eye Floaters Need a Closer Look
Eye floaters are often harmless, but sudden or rapidly changing symptoms should never be ignored. A dilated examination can determine whether your floaters are due to normal vitreous changes or to a condition affecting the retina.
Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center provides comprehensive eye exams and specialized retina care at locations throughout Arizona. If you notice new floaters, flashes of light, blurry vision, loss of side vision, or a curtain-like shadow, schedule an eye exam or call (602) 955-1000.