Understanding Floaters: When Should You Worry?

Floaters are really well named… They’re small opaque or dark spots, lines, or squiggles that you can see just out of your direct line of vision and, when you try to focus on them, they gently “float” away as you move your eyes.

Seeing floaters is really common and not usually an issue. However, knowing a little about them, the causes, and what red flags to look out for means you know when they might be a sign of something more serious occurring.

Eye Floater Causes

The most usual cause of floaters is when proteins within the eye clump together. These are suspended in the vitreous, which is the jelly within the eye. They can also occur if there’s any bleeding from the delicate internal eye tissues, like a tear in the retina. 

When Floaters are Serious

As already said, floaters aren’t usually a sign of anything bad. Most are simply something you live with and, as long as they don’t cause major issues or annoyances with your sight, don’t need any treatment. Most people only notice them when they’re highlighted by a light-colored background, like when you look at the sky or a computer screen. 

If they do cause any issues, your ophthalmologist can perform a minor, one-off, in-office procedure with a laser that breaks down the floater into fragments. These are then absorbed into the vitreous, which either drastically reduces or removes the problem altogether.

However, certain eye conditions can cause floaters to suddenly appear. If you should experience a sudden increase in new floaters and/or you begin to notice seeing flashes of light, then you should seek urgent medical attention.

These symptoms can be the sign of potentially sight-threatening conditions, including a retinal tear, a retinal detachment, or a vitreous hemorrhage. These need to be diagnosed and treated quickly to reduce the risk of any permanent damage to vision which, in the worst-case scenario, could lead to total loss of sight.

The retina is a thin layer of light-receiving cells that line the back of the eye. Sometimes this can become torn or even completely detached. As with any tissue trauma, this causes bleeding, which is often the reason that new floaters suddenly appear.

Floaters vs. Retinal Tear

So… The million-dollar question is, how on earth can you tell that your floaters are innocent or that they’re potentially a symptom of something more serious?

The most important issue is if you suddenly notice new floaters appearing. Those that have been around for years and, indeed, are almost like old friends, are nothing to worry about. It’s when new ones join the party that it might be indicative of a retinal problem—be it a tear, a partial, or complete detachment—all of which require expert attention without delay.

While it’s not possible to say how severe a retinal injury is simply from the symptoms, it’s more likely to be a detachment if it’s accompanied by the appearance of a dark, curtain-like shadow coming down from the side or top of the eye. The flashes of light we already mentioned can be indicative of either condition, but—conversely—might not happen at all.

If you only take away one thing from this article, it should be that any sudden change in your vision warrants a visit to your eye doctor. Whether this is new floaters, seeing flashes of light, the appearance of a dark shadow, blurred or fuzzy vision, eye pain, sensitivity to light, or anything else, it shouldn’t be ignored.

For more information or to discuss having laser floater removal surgery, visit

https://www.westbocaeyecenter.com/services/laser-floater-removal-surgery