Floater Basics

1. What are eye floaters?
Eye floaters are small clumps or strands that appear in your field of vision. They may exist in one or both eyes. Floaters are usually always present and do not go away with blinking, nor do they come and go. They may look like specks, squiggly lines, cobwebs, shadows, fog and are more visible when looking at white backgrounds like up in the sky on an overcast day.

2. What causes floaters to form?
Most floaters are caused by the natural aging of the vitreous—the gel-like substance inside your eye. As the vitreous humor evolves and changes from birth to age 100, the collagen fibers naturally break down resulting in more watery areas and less solid gel. As the consistency of your vitreous humor changes with age, so too does your perception of these changes as you use your vision for everyday life.

3. Are floaters dangerous?
Most floaters are benign and harmless. However, a sudden increase in floaters, especially with a decrease in your central or peripheral vision, may signal a retinal tear or retinal detachment and must be thoroughly evaluated immediately by a an ophthalmologist or retina specialist.

4. Why do floaters bother me so much if doctors say they’re harmless?
Even benign floaters can severely impact your quality of life—interfering with reading, driving, or working—especially when they're dense or located near the central visual axis.

5. Will floaters go away on their own?
In some cases, floaters may become less noticeable as your brain adapts or they shift position. However, many persistent floaters do not improve without treatment.