Floaters are small moving objects we notice in our vision, often best seen against a plain bright background like blue sky, white paper or a wall. They are randomly shaped, like grey dots, squiggly lines or cobwebs, and move in a floating like fashion, often darting away if you try to focus on them.
The eyeball is filled with a clear jelly-like substance called the vitreous, which as we age, becomes more liquid and eventually prolapses. Floaters that develop are debris suspended within this jelly substance. Floaters usually do not go away but over time may improve.
Floaters are usually benign but sometimes they are the sign of more serious eye problems like retinal detachment, bleeding or inflammation. You should always have an eye check if you notice the sudden appearance of floaters, light flashes or any type of vision loss.