What are floaters?

What causes floaters?

Floaters are formed by changes in the vitreous humour, which is the jelly-like substance inside your eye that allows light to pass from the lens to your retina. As we age, the vitreous humour shrinks and forms clumps. These clumps cast shadows onto the retina, creating dark spots in your vision.

It may seem like the floaters are drifting around your vision. When the vitreous humour moves, the floaters also move, giving the appearance that they’re ‘floating around’ your vision.

Floaters are usually harmless and naturally increase in old age. However, sometimes they might be indicative of something more serious. In some cases, floaters can be a sign of diabetic retinopathy or retinal detachment, which is when the retina separates from the back of your eye.

Contact your eyecare professional if you have any of the following:

• A sudden increase in floaters.
• Eye pain.
• Floaters combined with flashes of light.
• A shadow that appears over part of your visual field.
• Diabetes and you notice new floaters.

Can floaters be treated?

For most people, floaters are harmless and don’t require any treatment. If the floaters are annoying, you can usually make them shift out of your field of vision by moving your eyes up and down to reposition the vitreous humour.

If you experience a lot of floaters and they are severely impacting your vision, there are some options for treatment. These include vitreolysis, which is laser treatment, or vitrectomy surgery, which is when your vitreous humour is removed and replaced with a solution.

For more information

Always speak to your GP and eye care professional about the best treatment options for you.