Eye floaters are tiny spots, specks, or squiggly lines that appear in a person's field of vision. They may appear as black, gray, or transparent shapes that float across the field of vision, especially when looking at a bright background, such as the sky.

Floaters are caused by small clumps of gel or cells that form in the vitreous, the clear gel-like substance that fills the eye. As these clumps float in the vitreous, they cast shadows on the retina, which can cause the appearance of floaters.

Eye floaters are usually harmless and can occur in people of all ages, but they tend to become more common as a person ages. However, in some cases, floaters may be a sign of a more serious condition, such as a retinal tear or detachment, which can cause sudden onset of floaters, flashes of light, or a curtain-like shadow in the vision. If a person experiences a sudden onset of floaters or other visual changes, they should seek medical attention immediately.

There is no specific treatment for eye floaters, but most people will gradually adjust to their presence over time. In some cases, surgical intervention may be necessary, particularly if the floaters are causing significant vision disturbance or affecting a person's quality of life.

To help prevent eye floaters, it is important to maintain good eye health by having regular eye exams, protecting the eyes from injury, and avoiding behaviors that increase the risk of eye diseases, such as smoking or excessive alcohol consumption.

Eye floaters may be caused by the normal aging process or as a result from other diseases or conditions:

• Age-related eye changes. As you age, the vitreous, or jelly-like substance filling your eyeballs and helping them to maintain their round shape, changes. Over time, the vitreous partially liquefies — a process that causes it to pull away from the eyeball's interior surface. As the vitreous shrinks and sags, it clumps and gets stringy. This debris blocks some of the light passing through the eye, casting tiny shadows on your retina that are seen as floaters.
• Inflammation in the back of the eye. Posterior uveitis is inflammation in the layers of the uvea in the back of the eye. This condition can cause the release of inflammatory debris into the vitreous that are seen as floaters. Posterior uveitis may be caused by infection, inflammatory diseases or other causes.
• Bleeding in the eye. Bleeding into the vitreous can have many causes, including diabetes, hypertension, blocked blood vessels and injury. Blood cells are seen as floaters.
• Torn retina. Retinal tears can occur when a sagging vitreous tugs on the retina with enough force to tear it. Without treatment, a retinal tear may lead to retinal detachment — an accumulation of fluid behind the retina that causes it to separate from the back of your eye. Untreated retinal detachment can cause permanent vision loss.
• Eye surgeries and eye medications. Certain medications that are injected into the vitreous can cause air bubbles to form. These bubbles are seen as shadows until your eye absorbs them. Certain vitreoretinal surgeries add silicone oil bubbles into the vitreous that can also be seen as floaters.

Any underlying cause of the floaters, such as bleeding from diabetes or inflammation, will be treated. However, most eye floaters don't require treatment. Eye floaters can be frustrating, and adjusting to them can take time. Once you know the floaters will not cause any more problems, you may eventually be able to ignore them or notice them less often.

If your eye floaters impair your vision, which happens rarely, you and your eye doctor may consider treatment. Options may include:

• Surgery to remove the vitreous. An ophthalmologist removes the vitreous through a small incision (vitrectomy) and replaces it with a solution to help your eye maintain its shape. Surgery may not remove all the floaters, and new floaters can develop after surgery. Risks of a vitrectomy include bleeding and retinal tears.
• Using a laser to disrupt the floaters. An ophthalmologist aims a special laser at the floaters in the vitreous, which may break them up and make them less noticeable. Some people who have this treatment report improved vision; others notice little or no difference. Risks of laser therapy include damage to your retina if the laser is aimed incorrectly. Laser surgery to treat floaters is used infrequently.