Description
Seeing small spots, shadows, or “cobwebs” drifting across your vision? These are known as floaters, and in most cases, they’re a normal part of aging.
In this video, Dr. Ryan Wood of the UAMS Health Jones Eye Institute explains what floaters are, how they form in the vitreous (the gel-like substance inside the eye), and why they become more noticeable over time as the eye naturally changes with age.
While most floaters are harmless, Dr. Wood also discusses warning signs that should not be ignored, including a sudden increase in floaters, dark or dense spots, or flashes of light, symptoms that can sometimes indicate a retinal tear or more serious eye condition requiring urgent evaluation.
Learn the difference between normal age related floaters and signs that may need prompt eye care, and how protecting your eye health can help preserve vision over time.
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Transcript
Floaters are pieces of collagen that exist in the clear gel that fills your eye. That gel, called the vitreous, is what gives the eye its round shape. As we age, the vitreous shrinks. It’s not connected to our blood supply, so as it shrinks, it turns into a liquid. If we’re around enough light, that light hitting the liquid casts shadows inside the eye, and those shadows are what we see passing by.
If there’s a problem, such as a tear or hole that forms in the retina, you’d get a different type of floater, usually one that’s much darker, sometimes accompanied by flashing lights in the vision. Those are much different, usually much more acute in onset, and are the ones that should be evaluated more urgently.
There are some supplements and antioxidants that can help, especially vitamin C, to help keep those tissues as clear as possible. But floaters generally happen normally with age.
