Eye Floaters: Causes, Symptoms and When to Seek Help
What are eye floaters?
Eye floaters are small shapes — specks, threads, cobwebs or faint rings — that drift across your field of vision, most noticeable when you look at a bright, plain background like a clear sky or a white wall. They sit inside the vitreous, the clear gel that fills the back of the eye. What you actually see are the tiny shadows these clumps cast onto the retina, which is why floaters seem to dart away when you try to look at them directly.
What causes floaters?
Most floaters are a normal part of how the eye ages. Over time the vitreous gel becomes more liquid and its fine fibres clump together, casting the shadows you notice. As the gel shrinks it can also pull away from the back of the eye, a common and usually harmless change called posterior vitreous detachment.
Some people are more likely to notice floaters earlier or more often, including those who are short-sighted. If you are managing myopia, particularly higher degrees, the longer shape of the eye can make floaters and other retinal changes more likely. Floaters can also follow an eye injury, inflammation inside the eye, or cataract surgery.
Are floaters dangerous?
Most floaters are harmless. If you have had the same few floaters for a long time and they are not changing, they are usually nothing to worry about — over time the brain often learns to ignore them.
What matters is a sudden change. A new shower of floaters, flashes of light, or a dark shadow or curtain moving across part of your vision can be a sign of a retinal tear or retinal detachment. This is an eye emergency, and the earlier it is examined the better the outcome tends to be.
Seek urgent attention if you notice any of these: a sudden increase in floaters, flashes of light, or a shadow or curtain spreading across your vision. These symptoms need to be checked without delay.
How are floaters checked?
Floaters are assessed through a comprehensive eye examination. Drops are usually used to widen the pupil so the optometrist can examine the retina and vitreous closely and confirm whether the floaters are harmless or linked to a change that needs attention. If anything requires further care, you can be referred appropriately.
How are floaters treated?
Most floaters need no treatment at all. They often settle out of your central vision over weeks to months, and the brain gradually adapts so you notice them less. Treatment is reserved for the small number of cases where floaters genuinely interfere with daily vision, and any such options carry their own considerations that an eye care professional would discuss with you individually. The priority is always to first rule out a retinal cause.
When should you see an optometrist?
Book a check if your floaters are new, increasing, or accompanied by flashes or a shadow in your vision — and have a routine check if floaters are simply bothering you and you would like reassurance. A timely examination is the safest way to tell harmless floaters apart from a problem that needs treatment. You can explore related topics on our eye health resources.
Frequently asked questions
Can eye floaters go away on their own?
Individual floaters often drift out of your line of sight over time, and the brain tends to tune them out, so they usually become less noticeable even though the floater itself remains in the eye.
Are floaters a sign of something serious?
Usually not. Long-standing, stable floaters are typically harmless. A sudden increase, flashes of light, or a shadow across your vision should be examined promptly, as these can point to a retinal problem.
Can floaters be prevented?
Age-related floaters cannot reliably be prevented, but regular eye examinations help detect any related retinal changes early, especially if you are short-sighted or have had previous eye surgery or injury.
Get your floaters checked at EMME Visioncare
If your floaters are new or changing, don't wait. Book an appointment at our Cathay branch, beside Dhoby Ghaut MRT, and we'll examine your eyes thoroughly. Call (65) 8690 3598 or visit us at 2 Handy Road, #02-13 The Cathay Mall, Singapore 229233. Open 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM daily.