A clear, gel-like fluid, called the vitreous body, fills the inside cavity of the eye. If some of this gel clumps, floaters can result. Floaters can also occur from small flecks of protein or other material that were trapped in the vitreous during the eye's formation. This is a common cause of floaters in people who are nearsighted or who have had a cataract operation. Less frequently, floaters may result from eye disease, eye injury or crystal-like deposits that form in the vitreous.
Most people sometimes see spots, although they can become more noticeable with age.
While floaters are generally not treated, there are ways of coping with them. If a floater appears in your line of vision, move your eye around. This causes the fluid inside the eye to shift and allows the floaters to move out of the way. Since we usually move our eyes from side to side, looking up and down may be more effective in removing floaters from your line of sight. A few floaters generally do not indicate serious eye problems.