What Are Eye Floaters?

The eye floater.

It may appear in your vision as a fine thread, cell-like webby smudge or shadow out of the corner of your eye. If you try to focus on it (if, in fact, you notice it at all), an eye floater seems to move from its previous position. Like it’s trying to hide from you or something.

But there’s no real mystery here. Eye floaters are actually shadows projected onto the retina by tiny structures of protein or other cell debris discarded from the inner surface of your eye over the years. These small elements are trapped in the vitreous humour—the thick fluid or gel that fills the eyeball.

An eye floater, taken alone, is relatively harmless and literally “floats” in the fluid of your eye. Which is why they tend to “move” if you try to adjust your vision to see them—the fluid within your eye moves in the direction you are looking.

If you notice a significant number of eye floaters after an eye injury, after an eye surgery, or simply notice them to the extent they distract you during normal activity, consult your eye care professional. You may be experiencing a condition called myodesopsia—the active, visual perception of eye floaters.