👁️ What to Do If You Start Seeing Eye Floaters
Eye floaters—dots, squiggly lines, rings, or cobweb-like shapes that drift through your vision—are common, particularly as we get older. They’re often caused by normal changes in the vitreous, the gel inside the eye, and many become less noticeable over time. Academy Store+1
🚨 The important exception
New or suddenly increasing floaters should not be ignored. They can occur when the vitreous pulls on the retina, sometimes causing a retinal tear or retinal detachment. nhs.uk+1
Seek urgent eye-care evaluation if you experience:
- A sudden shower or large increase in floaters
- New flashes of light
- A dark curtain, shadow, or missing area of vision
- Sudden blurred or reduced vision
- Floaters after an eye injury or eye surgery
- Significant eye pain accompanying the visual changes nhs.uk+1
What should you do if you notice a new floater?
Don’t try to remove or “flush out” floaters with eye drops, vitamins, or home remedies. Arrange an urgent examination by an optometrist/ophthalmologist, particularly if the floater appeared suddenly. A dilated eye examination can determine whether there’s a retinal tear or other problem. FHFT+1
If the examination shows ordinary age-related floaters and your retina is healthy, treatment usually isn’t necessary. Your brain often adapts to them, making them less noticeable over time. Moorfields Eye Hospital
Bottom line: An occasional long-standing floater is usually harmless, but a sudden new floater—especially with flashes or a curtain/shadow—is an eye emergency until a retinal problem has been ruled out.
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