What are Eye Floaters?

Spots, flashes of light, or darkness on any side of your vision, could be a sign of eye floaters, most often noticeable when looking at a plain bright background,  such as a blue sky or a white wall. Floaters are a symptom of age. They can lead to a sight-threatening condition that requires immediate attention. In the back of our eyes, we have substance called “the vitreous”. When we're young, it's a firm clump of jelly. As we age, this firm clump of jelly can liquefy and breakup into smaller pieces. Those smaller pieces you notice as floaters. Eye floaters are more common as you get older and if you're nearsighted. The biggest concern is they can cause retinal tears. If a tear develops in the retinal, fluid can get underneath that tear and just lift the retina like  wallpaper off a wall. And that's a retinal detachment and that can cause blindness, which is why it's especially important to have a dilated eye exam within days of noticing new floaters or changes in vision. Most eye floaters don't require treatment, but your eye doctor will likely recommend regular eye exams to ensure the condition doesn't worsen.