Many people complain about black spots, specks or cobwebs floating in their vision. This is more common the older we get. The inside of the eye is hollow and filled with a gel-liked liquid resembling raw egg white called ” the vitreous “. With age or injury, condensation material normally forms in the vitreous. These condensed fibrils are usually white, but they look grey or black to us because we are seeing their shadow on our retina. Floaters may appear, disappear, be stationary, dart around and change size.

Although most floaters are innocuous, cause no problem and are not associated with eye disease, there is a certain situation you should be aware of. Sometimes the first sign of retinal detachment is a floater or a flurry of floaters, which may or may not be accompanied by ” flashing lights ” or decreased vision.