Diseases & Conditions
What's that speck in my eye?
Ask the doctors
Q. I was outdoors on a bright day and noticed a grayish dot that wasn't there before drift through my field of vision. What could it be?
A. You likely have a floater, an aptly named shadow that's shaped like a spot, line, ring, or squiggle and becomes more noticeable in certain types of light.
Floaters can develop at any age, but occur more often between 50 and 75. They're made of small flecks of protein called collagen that are part of the vitreous humor, the gel-like filling in our eyes. As we get older, the vitreous material can pull away from the retina at the back of the eye, creating floaters. They're also more likely if you're near-sighted or have had cataract surgery.
While floaters are bothersome, they shouldn't hamper your ability to see. Don't be alarmed if you have a few floaters that don't change over time. On bright days, simply wearing sunglasses may help. But see a doctor immediately if you notice a sudden increase in floaters, flashes of light in your field of vision, a loss of side vision, or eye pain. These may be signs of a torn or detached retina, which requires emergency treatment to avoid vision loss.
Image: © Norbert Schaefer/Getty Images
About the Authors
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
Hope Ricciotti, MD, Editor at Large, Harvard Women's Health Watch
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