Now We Know What Causes Us To See Those Weird ‘Floaters’ In Our Eyes

Do you ever see those squiggly lines or things that look like specks of dust floating around in your line of vision? Well, they're called eye floaters and they are totally normal, according to SELF. “Floaters are a normal phenomenon in the eye that happens as people grow older,” said Stephen Anesi, M.D., staff physician at Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution. "They’re a process of the eye changing normally.” They happen when vitreous (which is what your eye is filled with) changes consistency as you age. When you get older, the vitreous gets more liquid, and some fibres and cells can clump together over time, causing shadows to be cast in your retina. Although they are mostly harmless, Anesi does say that a dramatic change in the amount you see could be the sign of a problem. “That’s the reason we always dilate the eyes fully and do an exam when someone complains of floaters,” Anesi says. This could be a sign of a retinal detachment, which you can't actually feel happening, but an eye exam can determine if it's a real issue for you.