Floaters are most often a part of normal aging. They are cell fragments or debris suspended in the vitreous humor of the eye, casting shadows on the retina as light enters the eye. Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock
About 30 percent of Americans notice eye floaters, flecks, cobwebs, or squiggly shadows drifting across one’s visual field
Mercura Wang
The Epoch Times
Medically Reviewed by Jimmy Almond, M.D.
Floaters are small dark shapes, such as spots or threads, that appear to drift across your vision. While they are typically harmless and do not require treatment, they can occasionally signal a more serious eye condition. Their other names include eye floaters, vitreous floaters, floating spots, myodesopsias, and muscae volitantes (“flying flies” in Latin).
Floaters are quite common. Approximately 30 percent of the population in the United States is estimated to notice them.
What are the symptoms of floaters?
Eye floaters also come in various forms and sizes. Often, they are more noticea
