What causes eye floaters?
If you have spots dancing around in your vision, your eyes aren't having a party. You may have eye floaters. These floaters often look like specks, cobwebs or dots. Although they look a little trippy, floaters aren't necessarily a sign that something is wrong with your eyes. Keep reading to learn what causes eye floaters and find out when you should see an eye doctor.
What causes eye floaters in healthy eyes?
As you age, your body goes through many changes. Some of these changes affect your eyes. One of the most common eye-related changes is the development of floaters, which appear when strands of vitreous fluid stick together. Vitreous fluid is a gel-like substance that helps the eyes maintain their normal shape. In older people, this fluid gets thinner, leaving less of it available to fill the area between the retina and the lens of each eye. When vitreous fluid sticks together, it casts shadows on your retinas. This is what creates floaters.
You may also develop floaters if you rub your eyes too hard. Rubbing puts pressure on the vitreous layer, damaging it and allowing cells and other substances to break off and move around in your field of vision.
What health conditions are associated with eye floaters?
In some cases, floaters develop due to a problem with the eye. Floaters also occur in the aftermath of some eye injuries. These are some of the most common causes of floaters.
Eye injuries
When discussing what causes eye floaters, you'd be remiss not to think about eye injuries. Auto accidents, sports mishaps and painful encounters with foreign objects can all damage the vitreous layer, causing floaters to form.
Infectious diseases of the eye
Eye infections cause inflammation and damage that can make floaters pop up out of nowhere. Here are a few examples of eye infections that can cause this problem:
- Conjunctivitis - Ah, the dreaded pink eye. Not only does this infection cause itching, redness and other symptoms, but it can also cause eye floaters.
- Infectious endophthalmitis - Inflammation of the vitreous and aqueous fluids is characteristic of infectious endophthalmitis, an infection that affects the structures of the eye. Aqueous fluid is a nutrient-rich substance that nourishes the lenses and corneas. It also teams up with vitreous fluid to help the eye maintain its shape. You'd be hard-pressed to think of a more dynamic duo when it comes to eye health.
- Infectious keratitis - If bacteria get into one of your corneas, they can cause infectious keratitis. Other symptoms of this eye condition include pain, sensitivity to light, redness, eye discharge and blurred vision. If you wear contact lenses, washing your hands before inserting or removing them can help prevent this type of infection.
Vitreous detachment
In some cases, the vitreous layer gets pulled away from the retina completely, a condition known as vitreous detachment. Eye floaters and flashes of light in your peripheral vision (side vision) are two of the most common symptoms. Vitreous detachment is one of the risk factors for retinal tears, retinal detachment, and other serious eye problems, so let a healthcare professional know right away if you notice a sudden increase in floaters, experience vision loss, or have any other concerning symptoms.
After performing an eye exam, your eye doctor may recommend a procedure called a vitrectomy to prevent more serious problems. This procedure involves removing the detached vitreous layer and replacing it with a similar solution. It won't give you superpowers, but it may help you avoid complications related to vitreous detachment.
Retinal tears or detachment
The structures of the eye work with your brain and nerves to perceive the world around you, allowing you to enjoy everything from the brilliant colors of fall foliage to the brightness of the sun reflecting off the surface of a lake. Although several structures work together, your retinas do much of the heavy lifting. Each retina contains specialized cells that react to light and tell your brain to respond.
Retinal tears and retinal detachment are both potential causes of eye floaters. If the vitreous sticks to one of your retinas, it may rip it when it tries to pull away. A torn retina may cause blurry vision, new floaters, flashing lights and shadows in your peripheral vision. It also increases the risk for retinal detachment, which is when the retina pulls away from the back of the eye. Both conditions require treatment right away to prevent complications.
Bleeding in the eye
Some floaters are made up of blood, so anything that causes bleeding in the eye can also cause floaters to develop. Your eye may bleed if you have any of the following:
- Blocked blood vessel
- Diabetes
- Retinal detachment
- Retinal tears
- High blood pressure
- Eye injuries
When to see a medical professional
Now that you know what causes eye floaters, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor if you notice any of the following:
- Dramatic increase in the number of floaters you have
- Vision loss
- Eye pain
- Flashes of light
- Worsening peripheral vision
If you don't have any of these symptoms, you may be able to wait until your next regular eye exam but give your eye doctor's office a call just to make sure.