Eye floaters are primarily caused by age-related changes in the vitreous, the jelly-like substance inside the eye. As people age, the vitreous gradually liquefies and contracts, causing collagen fibers within it to clump together. These clumps cast shadows on the retina, which are perceived as floaters
. Other causes of eye floaters include:
- Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), where the vitreous gel separates from the retina, often causing floaters and sometimes flashes of light
- Inflammation in the eye (uveitis), which can cause debris in the vitreous that appears as floaters
- Bleeding into the vitreous from retinal tears, diabetic retinopathy, high blood pressure, or injury; blood cells appear as floaters
- Retinal tears or detachments, which can cause sudden onset of many floaters and require urgent medical attention
- Eye surgeries and certain eye medications can introduce bubbles or particles that appear as floaters
- Other less common causes include regression of the hyaloid artery (a fetal structure), cystoid macular edema, asteroid hyalosis, infections, or systemic diseases affecting the eye
Risk factors increasing the likelihood of floaters include age over 50, nearsightedness, eye injury, cataract surgery, diabetes, and eye inflammation
. In summary, most eye floaters result from natural aging changes in the vitreous, but sudden or numerous floaters, especially with flashes or vision loss, may indicate serious conditions like retinal tears or detachments that require prompt evaluation by an eye specialist
