I See Little Black Specks Moving Around, What Is That?

Floaters are a component of every normal, healthy human eye. They’re the black specs that you might sometimes notice in your field of vision. Normally they are unnoticeable, but on occasion they can be briefly visible. When you are focused on something intently, such as your computer or a book you won’t see floaters.    Your eyes are consumed with delivering specific ocular information to your brain.   Which is why, if you find yourself daydreaming or just glancing around out of boredom, you might catch a distracting glimpse of a floater or two dancing around the edges of your sight.

The eye is an organ filled with a gelatinous material. Called the vitreous humor, this jelly like substance is what gives the eye its shape. The shape of the eye is important, because like a telescope or set of binoculars, the lens at the front of the eye needs to focus the light that comes in upon retinal cells at the back of the eye. But sometimes the vitreous humor can clump up a little, and when that happens the clumps can occasionally create shadows in the light falling upon the retina. Optometrists refer to these clumps, and the shadows they create, as floaters. They’re harmless, and rarely noticeable. Over time, the clumps tend to float down to the bottom of the eye. If you notice them regularly, schedule a visit with your eye doctor so your eyes can be checked.