Skip to main content
Patient Forms
336-221-3670
Book Appointment
Office-Interior
Home » News » Can Your Eye Doctor See Floaters?

Can Your Eye Doctor See Floaters?

floating in your vision 640×350

Eye floaters look like little specks or shapes that glide Eye Care Clinic across your visual field. They can resemble dark specks, outlined strings, or fragments of cobwebs – all of which are actually little pieces of debris or clumps of cells floating in your vitreous gel. When they cast shadows on your retina, you see them. Can your eye doctor also see them?

Yes, your eye doctor can see eye floaters during an eye exam. While most of the time floaters are harmless, sometimes they can indicate a serious, sight-threatening eye problem – such as retinal detachment. Your eye doctor will perform a dilated eye exam to inspect your eye health closely, looking out for signs of a problem.

If you only experience mild floaters without any retinal problem, there’s usually no need to treat eye floaters. However, if they’re severe and interfere with vision (and don’t go away on their own after several months), you may need laser treatment. But this is rare.

If eye floaters  appear suddenly and in a large quantity, call your eye doctor immediately for an emergency eye exam. They could signal the start of retinal detachment, which can cause blindness when left untreated.

In the vast majority of cases, eye floaters are nothing more than bothersome, and people can usually ignore them more easily as time passes.

At Miller Vision Specialties, we put your family's needs first. Talk to us about how we can help you maintain healthy vision. Call us today: 336-221-3670 or book an appointment online to see one of our Greensboro eye doctors.

Want to Learn More? Read on!

How to Encourage Young Kids to Wear their First Pair of Glasses

Are Sore, Itchy Eyes a Sign of COVID-19?

New To Contact Lenses? Here Are Our Top 5 Tips!

FOLLOW US: