What Causes Floaters, Also Called "Fly-like Specks"?

Floaters

What Causes Floaters, Also Called "Fly-like Specks"?

The phenomenon of seeing floating particles like dust or insects drifting in the air in front of your eyes is something many people have likely experienced.

This condition is called "floaters" and is also known as "fly-like specks." It is a common symptom experienced by about 70% of the population.

Today, we will look at the symptoms and causes of floaters, as well as how to deal with them in daily life.

Symptoms of Floaters Floaters appear as tiny insects, haze, dots, or thread-like shapes floating in front of your eyes, and their shapes may keep changing or there may be several of them. Sometimes they remain visible even when your eyes are closed.

They also follow the direction of your current field of vision, and they are more clearly visible when you look at a sky, a white wall, or a piece of paper as a background.

Once floaters appear, they usually continue to persist, and their position and shape may change or the symptoms may improve.

If the retina detaches, flashes of light may appear along with floater symptoms.

Retinal detachment is a serious condition in which the optic nerve layer separates from the eyeball, leading to loss of vision. If you experience flashes of light, as if something is flickering in front of your eyes (photopsia), it is best to be cautious.

However, these flashes of light can also occur in people with migraines or as aging progresses, so if you also feel that your vision is weakening along with this symptom, it is recommended that you visit a hospital for an examination.

Causes of Floaters Floaters usually occur or become more pronounced due to aging.

As people get older, they are more likely to be exposed to various eye diseases, and as a result, cloudiness can form in the vitreous body, casting a shadow on the retina and causing the symptom of seeing something floating in front of the eyes.

In addition, as the vitreous body thickens and shrinks in shape due to aging, it can become clumped together or form wrinkles. This creates floating particles and leads to floaters.

Even in your teens or twenties, if you have severe myopia, these floater symptoms can appear earlier.

These floater symptoms can also appear if you have various eye diseases.

If you have had cataract surgery, or if there is damage or inflammation in the eyeball such as uveitis, hypertensive retinopathy, diabetic retinopathy, or retinal tears, you may also experience the sensation of floating objects in front of your eyes.

In general, floaters do not affect vision and do not cause pain, so it is best not to pay too much attention to the floating objects and simply ignore them.

However, if the symptoms of floaters suddenly worsen, or if you feel as if something is covering your eyes, retinal detachment may be suspected, so it is better to visit a hospital for diagnosis.

Since floaters can become more severe with aging, supplementing with related nutrients such as lutein and bilberry, which can help prevent eye aging, is also one option.

Today, we explained in detail the symptoms, causes, and coping methods for floaters, also known as fly-like specks. Please refer to this and take care of your eyes.