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Floaters or specks drifting in vision

Also called: Eye floaters, vitreous floaters, specks in vision

Floaters are small specks, dots, or cobwebs that drift across your vision. They're very common with age and usually harmless. But a sudden shower of new floaters, flashes of light, or a shadow or curtain over your vision can be a retinal tear or detachment, which needs care the same day.

Common causesAge-related changes in the eye's gel, nearsightedness
Usually serious?Usually not
Get checked ifSudden new floaters, flashes, or a curtain over vision
If you think it's an emergency, call 911.Thinking about suicide? Call or text 988.

Overview

The inside of the eye is filled with a clear gel (the vitreous). With age, it shrinks and clumps, casting shadows on the retina that look like floating specks. Floaters are more noticeable against a bright background.

As the gel pulls away from the retina (posterior vitreous detachment), you may see a sudden new floater and flashes. Usually this is harmless, but sometimes it tears the retina, which can lead to retinal detachment and vision loss without quick treatment.

When to get medical care

Call 911Sudden vision loss with weakness, numbness, or trouble speaking.
Get care todayA sudden increase in floaters, especially many at once. Flashes of light. A shadow, curtain, or veil over part of your vision. Floaters after an eye injury. Floaters with eye pain or redness.
See a doctor soonFloaters that are bothering you but haven't changed. You're nearsighted or had eye surgery and haven't had a recent eye exam.

Causes

Common causes include age-related changes in the vitreous gel and posterior vitreous detachment. Risk is higher with nearsightedness, past cataract surgery, and eye injury. Less common causes include retinal tears and detachment, bleeding in the eye (often from diabetes), and inflammation inside the eye (uveitis).

OwieClear has pages on 4 conditions that can cause floaters or specks drifting in vision. Each shows how soon to get care.

Common causes

Less likely causes

What you can do at home

  • Move your eyes up and down to shift a floater out of view.
  • Get a dilated eye exam if floaters are new.
  • Know the warning signs of retinal detachment: flashes, a sudden shower of floaters, or a curtain.
  • Wear eye protection for sports and work.

Medicines

Most floaters need no treatment and become less noticeable over time. Retinal tears are treated with laser or freezing therapy; detachments need surgery. Rarely, surgery or laser is used for very bothersome floaters.

At the doctor

The eye doctor will look at your retina to rule out a tear.

Questions you may be asked

  • When the floaters started
  • Flashes of light
  • A shadow or curtain
  • Nearsightedness, eye surgery, or injury
  • Diabetes

The exam

A dilated eye exam.

Tests

  • An eye ultrasound if the retina is hard to see

Prevention

You can't prevent most floaters, but you can protect your eyes.

  • Wear eye protection
  • Control diabetes
  • Get regular eye exams

Check your symptoms

Most symptoms have more than one possible cause. The symptom checker looks at all of your symptoms together, plus your age, and shows how soon to get care.

Start the symptom checker

Sources

Last updated 2026-11-13.