Health Topics for Eyes and Vision

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

Refractive Surgery

Spots and floaters

Have you ever seen specks, squiggles, or bright spots float freely across the eyes and wonder what they are? Tilt your head to the side or suddenly glance up and down and they may appear. They look like they are in front of the eye, but actually they are inside. What happens is that inside the eye there is a chamber or space that holds a special type of clear jelly like fluid. The eye is bathed and nourished by this fluid, which helps to maintain the shape of the eyes. Floaters, specks, squiggles, or spots are simply stray cells or strands of tissue that float in the tissue casting shadows on the retina.

Floaters dart in and out of your field of vision in the fluid of the eyeball. While usually harmless, floaters can be annoying and interfere with clear vision. Age-related floaters appear gradually and are common. There is no effective treatment for them although new glasses sometimes help to focus around them. Flashes of light occur often with aging and are seen more by people who are over the age of 55. Flashes occur as jelly like fluid in your eye thickens and pulls on the light sensitive retina.

Flashes can happen after a blow to the head and are often described as "seeing stars." More importantly, flashes can be a serious warning sign of a problem with the retina. An untreated retinal tear can lead to a detached retina and blindness.

Symptoms of a detached retina include:

• sudden or gradual increase in the number of floaters (spots)
• sudden flashes of light and
• the appearance of a shadow or curtain over part or all of the field of vision

See a healthcare provider immediately if having any of these symptoms! Retinal detachment is a medical emergency.

Last Reviewed 2005

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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