How come I see dark specks through my eyes?

Question

This happens mostly when I am looking at something bright, and i see things kind float around, and they are dark, I know that they are not actually there and tangible in real life, but through my eyes I see them... i think eye doctors call it floaties? I am not sure.... but what is it and should i be concerned?

Answer 1

Are they floating or generally in the same place all the time? If they are truly dark spots that don't go away and stay in the same place, you need to see an eye doctor. It could be something serious. If they are "floaters" and you see them moving around when you stare at something, that's normal and natural.

Answer 2

I have these as well. They can be caused by a number of things. They never really bothered me. Here is some info:

Floaters are suspended in the vitreous humour, the thick fluid or gel that fills the eye. Thus, they generally follow the rapid motions of the eye, while drifting slowly within the fluid. When they are first noticed, the natural reaction is to attempt to look directly at them. However, attempting to shift one's gaze toward them can be difficult since floaters follow the motion of the eye, remaining to the side of the direction of gaze. Floaters are, in fact, visible only because they do not remain perfectly fixed within the eye. Although the blood vessels of the eye also obstruct light, they are invisible under normal circumstances because they are fixed in location relative to the retina, and the brain "tunes out" stabilized images due to neural adaptation. This does not occur with floaters and they remain visible.

Floaters are particularly noticeable when looking at a blank surface or an open monochromal space, such as blue sky. Despite the name "floaters", many of these specks have a tendency to sink toward the bottom of the eyeball,[citation needed] in whichever way the eyeball is oriented; the supine position (looking up or lying back) tends to concentrate them near the fovea, which is the center of gaze, while the textureless and evenly lit sky forms an ideal background against which to view them. The brightness of the daytime sky also causes the eyes' pupils to contract, reducing the aperture, which makes floaters less blurry and easier to see.

Floaters are not uncommon, and do not cause serious problems for most people; they represent one of the most common presentations to hospital eye services. A survey of optometrists in 2002 suggested that an average of 14 patients per month per optometrist presented with symptoms of floaters in the UK alone. However, floaters are more than a nuisance and a distraction to those with severe cases, especially if the spots seem to constantly drift through the field of vision. The shapes are shadows projected onto the retina by tiny structures of protein or other cell debris discarded over the years and trapped in the vitreous humour. Floaters can even be seen when the eyes are closed on especially bright days, when sufficient light penetrates the eyelids to cast the shadows. It is not, however, only elderly people who suffer from floaters; they can certainly become a problem to younger people, especially if they are myopic. They are also common after cataract operations or after trauma. In some cases, floaters are congenital.

Floaters are able to catch and refract light in ways that somewhat blur vision temporarily until the floater moves to a different area. Often they trick the sufferer into thinking they see something out of the corner of their eye that really is not there. Most sufferers, with time, learn to ignore their floaters. For people with severe floaters it is nearly impossible to completely ignore the large masses that constantly stay within almost direct view. Some sufferers have noted a decrease in ability to concentrate while reading, watching television, walking outdoors, and driving, especially when tired.

Answer 3

omg!! thank you!!!

i thought i was the only one who saw these

things!!..i always saw them in the corner of my eye

n wud disappear wen i'd try to follow them

yay!! i dont feel weird