Seeing spots, flecks, lines or dots in your visual field may make you worry about the state of your eye health. Spots, also called floaters, usually are not harmful and rarely limit vision, according to the American Optometric Association. Floaters are often just another sign of aging and rarely require any medical treatment.
Identification
Floaters occur when parts of the vitreous, the gel-like substance inside the eye that gives your eyeball its shape, break away in small clumps. The small particles float through your eye and can be seen as they drift through your field of vision. The American Academy of Ophthalmology reports that what you actually see are the shadows that floaters cast on the retina, the light-sensing layer at the back of your eye. Over time, floaters sink to the bottom of your eye and become less noticeable.
Causes
Floaters are more likely to occur if have diabetes, had cataract or laser surgery, suffered from an eye inflammation or injury, or are nearsighted. Floaters can also occur if flecks of protein became trapped in your eyes when your eyes formed during the fetal stage. Age plays a large part in the development of floaters. As you age, the vitreous begins to thicken, shrink and pull away from the retina, causing floaters to develop.
Warning
If you suddenly develop floaters or notice a sharp increase in the number of floaters, see your doctor immediately. An increase in floaters can be a sign of a retinal detachment. A retinal detachment occurs when part of the retina becomes detached from the back of the eye. If not treated promptly, a retinal detachment can result in vision loss. Other symptoms of a retinal detachment include shadows in your side vision, sudden flashes, decrease in vision or the appearance of a gray shadow or curtain over your visual field.
Diagnosis
Your doctor can determine if floaters are normal or are a result of a retinal detachment by dilating your eyes and looking at your vitreous and retina with a special light. The examination will also help your doctor determine if floaters are caused by a treatable condition, such as an inflammation or infection of the eye.
Treatment
Although floaters do not usually require treatment, they can be removed if you have so many that they interfere with your vision. Doctors perform a procedure called a vitrectomy to remove the vitreous gel from the eye and replace it with a saline solution. Serious complications can occur after a vitrectomy, including cataracts and tearing or detachment of the retina. Most eye surgeons are reluctant to recommend this surgery unless the floaters seriously interfere with vision, according to the National Eye Institute.
