If you’ve ever noticed small, shadowy shapes—looking like tiny worms, cobwebs, or specks—drifting across your field of vision, you aren’t alone. These are known as eye floaters. While they can be startling, especially when they appear suddenly against a bright sky or a white wall, they are a very common part of the eye’s aging process.
However, knowing how to manage them—and when they signal a medical emergency—is a “recipe” for long-term ocular health. Here is the clinical breakdown of what floaters are and exactly what you should do when they appear.
What Are Eye Floaters?
Inside your eye is a jelly-like substance called the vitreous. When we are young, the vitreous is perfectly clear and firm. As we age, this gel begins to liquefy and shrink.
- The Cause: As the vitreous shrinks, tiny clumps of collagen fibers form within the gel.
- The Shadow: What you “see” isn’t actually the floater itself, but the shadow it casts on your retina (the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye).
- The Movement: Because they are suspended in liquid, they drift when you move your eyes. When you try to look directly at them, they seem to “zip” away.
