When Floaters are Normal

Most commonly, eye floaters are caused by the separation of the vitreous body from the inner walls of the eye. As you age, the vitreous gel in your eye liquefies and shrinks, thus weakening the inner wall. When the vitreous detaches it begins to condense—this causes the floaters the average person notices in their vision. It’s not a problem and doesn’t require any medical treatment.

When Floaters are Cause for Concern

However, sometimes floaters can be the sign of a serious eye condition. Sometimes, when the vitreous separates from the inner walls of the eye, it remains adhered to parts of the retina. This rare attachment can cause tears in the retina, resulting in vision loss should a retinal detachment take place. The good news is that retinal tears can be sealed with laser surgery if detected early enough. This surgery keeps the retina from detaching, saving your vision.

In addition, floaters can be caused by bleeding within the eye, and retinal tears can cause this bleeding. Another disease that can cause floaters is diabetes—this is due to the abnormal vessel formation that can occur with this disease.

Most of the time floaters aren’t worth worrying about, but as with anything, make sure to see your eye doctor. While rare, floaters could be a symptom of a much more severe eye disease. The ophthalmologists at Vistar Eye Center can examine your eye to make sure that your eyes are healthy.