Floaters are small specks that float about in your field of vision. Floaters are a part of the natural aging process and most of the time are simply an annoyance. Floaters occur when the vitreous (gel-like substance in the eye that helps maintain its shape) gradually shrinks. As the vitreous shrinks, it can become “stringy", causing strands to cast “cobweb" shadows on the retina, which are floaters.

Floaters are more likely to develop as you age and become more common in people who are very nearsighted, diabetic, or have had cataract surgery.

When individuals have floaters that are simply annoying, no treatment is recommended. On the rare occasion that floaters become dense and numerous, interfering with vision and daily life, a vitrectomy (surgical procedure that removes floaters from the vitreous) may be recommended.

Early treatment for many eye diseases may protect your vision. To ask questions or to schedule an exam, please call our office at 218-759-1290 or 1-800-745-1291.

For more information on this and other diseases, please visit The National Eye Institute.

Source: The National Eye Institute.

If you detect any changes in your vision, please call Womack Eye Associates to schedule an eye exam immediately.