Eye Floaters: What They Are and When to See an Optician

Most of us notice them at some point: the tiny specks, threads or cobweb-like shapes that drift across your vision, usually when you're looking at a bright sky, a white wall or a blank screen.

They seem to dart away just as you try to look straight at them. These are eye floaters, and for the vast majority of people, they are completely harmless and very common, especially as we age.

That said, floaters occasionally appear alongside symptoms that need urgent attention. This guide explains what floaters are and what causes them, and, most importantly, the specific warning signs that indicate you should seek same-day help. Knowing the difference puts you in control of your own eye health.

What Are Eye Floaters?

Your eye is filled with a clear, jelly-like substance called the vitreous (or vitreous humour), which helps the eyeball keep its round shape. Over time, tiny strands of protein within this gel can clump together.

When light passes into your eye, these clumps cast small shadows on the retina (the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye), and it is those shadows you see drifting across your field of vision.

People describe floaters in lots of different ways: dots, specks, squiggly lines, threads, rings or cobwebs. Some look like a single fine strand, others like a small ring or a scattered cluster of dots. They are usually far more noticeable against plain, bright backgrounds, and they move as your eyes move, often drifting away the moment you try to focus on them. Because they sit inside the eye, you cannot blink or wipe them away.

What Causes Eye Floaters?

The most common cause is a natural, age-related change to the vitreous. As we get older, the gel gradually becomes more liquid and begins to shrink and pull away from the retina, a process known as posterior vitreous detachment, or PVD.

This is extremely common; Moorfields Eye Hospital notes that in nearly all people (usually past the age of 40), the vitreous eventually separates from the retina.

In most cases, PVD causes no harm at all, and many people barely notice it happening. It's simply one of several changes that happen to your eyes as you get older.

Short-sightedness (myopia) is a recognised risk factor, and people who are short-sighted often develop floaters earlier and in greater numbers.

Less commonly, floaters can follow cataract surgery or other eye operations, an injury to the eye, or inflammation inside the eye (such as uveitis). If short-sightedness applies to you, our guide to short-sightedness explains it in more detail.

Are Eye Floaters Normal?

In most cases, yes. Floaters are one of the most common of all visual experiences, and they become more frequent with age. If you have had the same one or two floaters for years, they are very unlikely to be an issue.

There is also some good news about how they behave over time. While floaters don't usually disappear completely, the brain is highly successful at learning to ignore them, so most people find they become far less noticeable after a few weeks or months.

That reassurance comes with one important condition, though: a sudden change in your floaters is treated very differently from long-standing ones, which is exactly why the next section matters so much.

When Eye Floaters Are a Warning Sign

While most floaters are harmless, a small number of symptoms can signal a serious problem in the back of the eye. Don't ignore these. Seek same-day help if you notice any of the following:

• A sudden increase in floaters, or a "shower" of many new floaters appearing at once
• Flashes of light, particularly if they are new or getting worse
• A dark shadow or "curtain" spreading across part of your vision
• A sudden loss of your side (peripheral) vision

These can be signs of a retinal tear or retinal detachment, which is a medical emergency. Treated quickly, the outlook is usually good; left untreated, it can cause permanent loss of sight.

If you experience any of these symptoms, do not wait for a routine appointment. Contact an optician (optometrist) the same day, go to your nearest eye casualty or A&E department, or call NHS 111 for urgent advice on where to be seen. The NHS is clear that getting checked quickly gives the best chance of protecting your vision.

Can You Get Rid of Eye Floaters?

For most people, the honest answer is that you don't need to. Harmless floaters require no treatment, and as the brain adapts, they usually fade into the background of your vision over time.

Treatment does exist, but it is reserved for rare cases where floaters are severe and genuinely interfere with daily life. The main option is a surgical procedure called a vitrectomy, in which the vitreous gel is removed and replaced; in some cases, a laser is used to break up larger floaters.

Both carry real risks, including to your sight, so the decision is made carefully by an ophthalmologist (a hospital eye surgeon) and is never taken lightly.

There is no eye drop, supplement or "miracle cure" that has been shown to remove floaters, whatever some products marketed online may claim. Glasses and contact lenses are also ineffective for treating floaters. If you're tempted by a product promising to clear them, treat that claim with caution and speak to a qualified eye-care professional first.

How Floaters Are Checked

Floaters are checked during a dilated eye examination. The optometrist puts drops in your eyes to widen the pupils, which lets them see right to the back of the eye and examine the retina and vitreous in detail. It's a straightforward, painless check, although the drops can leave your vision blurry and a little light-sensitive for a few hours afterwards. It's worth getting a lift home and bringing sunglasses with you.

This is one of the reasons regular eye tests matter so much: they pick up changes you might not notice yourself. Even when floaters are very likely to be harmless, any that are new or have changed are worth getting looked at, simply to rule out anything more serious and to give you peace of mind.

When to Book an Eye Test

If you've had the same floaters for a long time and they aren't bothering you, there's usually no need to rush. But it's still sensible to mention them at your next routine eye test, especially if you haven't had your eyes checked in the last two years.

If your floaters are new, increasing, or appear alongside flashes of light or a shadow across your vision, don't book a routine appointment and wait. Seek urgent, same-day help as described above.

The goal here is simply to make sure your eyes are healthy and to get you seen quickly if anything does need attention. A routine test is also a full health check that can pick up other changes you might not have noticed, such as signs your prescription has changed. If you do come away with a new prescription, you can buy your replacement glasses online with us in minutes. Just enter your details at checkout, and we'll do the rest.

FAQs

What are eye floaters?

Eye floaters are small shapes (dots, threads, squiggles or cobwebs) that drift across your vision. They're caused by tiny clumps within the vitreous gel inside your eye, casting shadows on the retina at the back of the eye. They're typically most noticeable against bright, plain backgrounds.

What causes floaters in the eye?

The most common cause is a normal, age-related change called posterior vitreous detachment, where the gel inside the eye shrinks and pulls away from the retina. Short-sightedness makes floaters more likely, and less common causes include eye surgery, injury and inflammation inside the eye.

Are eye floaters a sign of something serious?

Usually not, as most floaters are harmless. However, a sudden increase in floaters, flashes of light, or a dark shadow or curtain across your vision can be a sign of a retinal tear or detachment, which is a medical emergency and needs same-day attention.

Do eye floaters go away on their own?

Most floaters don't disappear fully, but they typically become much less noticeable over weeks or months as the brain learns to tune them out. Stable, long-standing floaters are often nothing to worry about.

Can you get rid of eye floaters?

In the majority of cases, no treatment is needed. Surgery (vitrectomy) or laser treatment is only considered for rare, severe cases and carries real risks, so it's decided by an ophthalmologist. No drops, supplements or over-the-counter products have been proven to remove floaters.

When should I worry about eye floaters?

Seek urgent, same-day help if you notice a sudden shower of new floaters, flashes of light, a shadow or curtain moving across your vision, or a loss of side vision. These symptoms need to be checked quickly to protect your sight.