What is floaters?
Disease description:
Recently, I've been seeing small black shadows floating around in front of my eyes, like flying mosquitoes, and they won't go away. What's going on? Could this be the so-called floaters or "flying mosquito syndrome"?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Wang Shuai
In general, floaters are a common ophthalmic symptom.
Floaters are primarily characterized by small dark shadows or dot-like, fragment-like, or string-like floating objects appearing in the visual field, resembling flying mosquitoes or flies. These are especially noticeable when looking at bright white backgrounds. Floaters can be mainly categorized into physiological and pathological types. Physiological floaters develop as people age, when the vitreous gradually liquefies and undergoes structural changes. They are commonly seen in middle-aged and elderly individuals and generally do not seriously affect vision or require special treatment.
Pathological floaters may be caused by conditions such as high myopia, ocular trauma, or diabetes, and may be accompanied by symptoms like decreased vision and blurred vision, necessitating timely medical intervention and treatment, such as laser therapy or surgery. Therefore, if floaters frequently appear in your vision, especially if they suddenly increase significantly in a short period or are accompanied by other visual abnormalities, prompt medical consultation is recommended for early diagnosis and treatment.
In daily life, it is advisable to maintain healthy lifestyle habits and avoid prolonged eye strain to help prevent floaters.
