Floaters (vitreous opacities) are small clumps of cells inside the vitreous or jelly-like fluid in your eye.
Patients experiencing floaters complain of small specks or dots that can be seen against a bright background such as a diffusely illuminated wall or the blue sky. Floaters may also appear as fine dark lines which may seem to take the shape of spider webs or small branching twigs.
Floaters move and seem to dart around like flies as the eye is moved. While they may be annoying, floaters that have been present for a long period of time do not cause any problems. Over time you will become less aware of floaters as the brain learns to ignore these retinal images.
However, if you experience a new floater, a sudden increase of floaters, or a “shower of floaters” then you must be examined immediately to rule out a retinal tear or posterior vitreal detachment.
The vitreous gel is made up of 99 percent water and 1 percent solid elements consisting of collagen filaments and hyaluronic acid molecules. Floaters, which generally occur when people reach middle age, are caused when the hyaluronic acid molecules lose the ability to retain water, causing the vitreous to lose consistency resulting in small pockets of liquefied vitreous.
Collagen filaments collapse to form large masses of fiberous tissue that “float” within the liquefied vitreous. As these liquefied pockets continue to accumulate the vitreous framework will eventually collapse, causing them to separate from the retina. This process is a called a posterior vitreal detachment.
While this condition occurs in less than 10 percent of people under 50 years of age, it is reported in more than 60 percent of people over the age of 70.
Individuals who are nearsighted, have had an eye injury, undergone eye surgery, or had an inflammation inside the eye are more susceptible to a posterior vitreal detachment.
It is strongly recommended not to ignore a new floater or floaters accompanied with flashes of light as these symptoms are indicative of a posterior vitreal detachment or a retinal tear. An immediate examination by your eye care physician is necessary to rule out any retinal involvement and possible loss of vision.
Patients experiencing floaters complain of small specks or dots that can be seen against a bright background such as a diffusely illuminated wall or the blue sky. Floaters may also appear as fine dark lines which may seem to take the shape of spider webs or small branching twigs.
Floaters move and seem to dart around like flies as the eye is moved. While they may be annoying, floaters that have been present for a long period of time do not cause any problems. Over time you will become less aware of floaters as the brain learns to ignore these retinal images.
However, if you experience a new floater, a sudden increase of floaters, or a “shower of floaters” then you must be examined immediately to rule out a retinal tear or posterior vitreal detachment.
The vitreous gel is made up of 99 percent water and 1 percent solid elements consisting of collagen filaments and hyaluronic acid molecules. Floaters, which generally occur when people reach middle age, are caused when the hyaluronic acid molecules lose the ability to retain water, causing the vitreous to lose consistency resulting in small pockets of liquefied vitreous.
Collagen filaments collapse to form large masses of fiberous tissue that “float” within the liquefied vitreous. As these liquefied pockets continue to accumulate the vitreous framework will eventually collapse, causing them to separate from the retina. This process is a called a posterior vitreal detachment.
While this condition occurs in less than 10 percent of people under 50 years of age, it is reported in more than 60 percent of people over the age of 70.
Individuals who are nearsighted, have had an eye injury, undergone eye surgery, or had an inflammation inside the eye are more susceptible to a posterior vitreal detachment.
It is strongly recommended not to ignore a new floater or floaters accompanied with flashes of light as these symptoms are indicative of a posterior vitreal detachment or a retinal tear. An immediate examination by your eye care physician is necessary to rule out any retinal involvement and possible loss of vision.