If you stare at a blank wall or a bright sky, do you see little shapes “float” across your vision? These are eye floaters that are, for the most part, harmless. Individuals who have these tend to go about their life without interruption. In rare circumstances, he/she will seek treatment for bothersome floaters.

Eye floaters are made of collagen. The area in the back of the eye contains a substance called vitrous humor. As the eye ages, the collagen in the vitrous “shreds” and releases these pieces into the vitrous humor where they float around. These floaters can be different in shape. The most common shapes are stringy, black specks, squiggly, rings, and cobweb. If you have eye floaters, then you can relate to at least one of these shapes.

Eye floaters tend to occur in people over the age of 40, yet younger people can have this condition as well. Extremely nearsighted people and those who have had cataract surgery are more susceptible to floaters. Other, but rare, reasons that one might acquire them would be from eye injury, disease of the eye, an eye tumor, or diabetic retinopathy.

Retinal detachment is a possibility for those who experience eye floaters. This a very serious medical emergency that requires prompt medical attention. Blindness can occur if this is not treated immediately. The signs of retinal detachment are loss of side vision and flashes of light. You might also have the feeling of a shade being pulled over your eye. Do not hesitate to go to the nearest emergency room if you are experiencing these symptoms.

You should seek medical attention if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Eye pain that accompanies the floaters
• Floaters that occur after eye surgery
• If the amount increases significantly, especially if it is in a short period of time.
• If you have any signs of retinal detachment.

As mentioned above, the majority of eye floaters are benign and nothing to have concern over. If you feel like you would like an ophthalmologist to evaluate your eye, seek out a doctor in Southwest Florida at IPALC.org