What Are Eye Floaters? Plus Symptoms, Causes And Treatment

Old Age

The major reason patients experience eye floaters is old age. As individuals age, the vitreous around the eye gradually liquefies in a process called syneresis. These often come in pockets, which are what patients often notice as eye floaters, within the regular gel-like nature of the vitreous.

Posterior vitreous detachment, another condition causing eye floaters in old age, occurs when the collagen fibers start to condense and cause the vitreous to pull away from the back of the eye. This is considered normal as patients age, but may result in a retinal tear or complete detachment.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Patients who have diabetes are at a higher risk of retinopathy, where the capillaries in their retinas become leaky and allow the blood and its contents into the retina, resulting in swelling. Diabetic retinopathy puts individuals at a higher risk for eye floaters because of the stress placed on their retinas and the potential for hemorrhage. Cellular material such as red blood cells or white blood cells due to hemorrhage and inflammation can cause floaters. Hemorrhages may occur as a result of diabetic retinopathy, injury, eye surgery, or retinal tear through a blood vessel.