What are floaters?

Floaters are described as spots in your vision. They are typically black, gray, or translucent. 

The eye is filled with a jelly called the vitreous which is made up of collagen. The collagen can be sticky and clumpy, especially as we get older. The little clumps cast a shadow on the retina which is perceived as a floater. Most people say it looks like a hair, a fly, or an amoeba floating in the vision. 

Most of the time, floaters are normal, but they can be a sign of a hole, tear, or detachment in the retina. Holes, tears, and detachments in the retina can cause irreversible vision loss and blindness. 

If you experience new floaters and/or flashes of white light, it is important to see your optometrist ASAP because there is a chance you could have changes/damage to your retina.