Floaters are, most often, small flecks of collagen, which is a type of protein. They form on a part of the vitreous, which is a gel-like substance at the back of your eye.
As you get older, these sheets can become shrunken and then start to clump together. In turn, they cast shadows on your vision, which are the floaters themselves. You should contact your eye doctor immediately if you see a flash, this means the vitreous has torn off from the retina.
As you get older, floaters are more likely to occur. Particularly between 50 and 75. Other causes include:
- Eye tumours
- Eye disease
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Eye injury
- Crystal-like deposits have formed on your vitreous.