What are floaters?
Floaters are usually a normal thing that most people experience under the right conditions, but there are a few situations that might indicate a serious condition. If a sudden increase in the number of floaters is seen, or if associated with flashes of light, you should seek care immediately. In most cases, these are normal things floating around in our eyes. These may be blood cells, or strands of collagen which have clumped together that make up part of the gel in the eye, or remnants of tissue when our eyes first developed. These structures in the eyes are not entirely transparent, and will block some light. So when light comes in the eye, what is seen is actually a shadow of these things floating in the gel. They are most noticeable when in a brightly lit room while looking at a uniform white wall, but they are always there, we just don't notice them. Although floaters can be very annoying, they should present no threat to the health of your eyes.
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