Floater

Article summary

Floaters or eye floaters are sometimes-visible deposits (e.g., the shadows of tiny structures of protein or other cell debris projected onto the retina) within the eye's vitreous humour ("the vitreous"), which is normally transparent, or between the vitreous and retina. They can become particularly noticeable when looking at a blank surface or an open monochromatic space, such as a blue sky. Each floater can be measured by its size, shape, consistency, refractive index, and motility. They are also called muscae volitantes (Latin for 'flying flies'), or mouches volantes (from the same phrase in French). The vitreous usually starts out transparent, but imperfections may gradually develop as one ages. The common type of floater, present in most people's eyes, is due to these degenerative changes of the vitreous. The perception of floaters, which may be annoying or problematic to some people, is known as myiodesopsia, or, less commonly, as myiodaeopsia, myodeopsia, or myodesopsia. It is not often treated, except in severe cases, where vitrectomy (surgery) and laser vitreolysis may be effective. Floaters are visible either because of the shadows that imperfections cast on the retina, or because of the refraction of light that passes through them, and can appear alone or together with several others as a clump in one's visual field.…

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