Floaters are shapes which people can see drifting across their vision.
The exact form of these is very variable - they may appear as small dots or irregularly shaped strands. The eye is filled by a jelly like substance - the vitreous. As the vitreous ages strands of a protein called collagen become visible within it. These strands swirl gently when the eye moves, giving rise to the perception of floaters. In some people, usually over the age of 40, the vitreous can separate from the retina.