Ask the doctor: Do I need to worry about floaters?

Q. At 65, I have begun to notice tiny threadlike shapes in my vision, which my doctor calls "floaters." Should I be concerned?

A. "Floaters" is a catchall term for the dots, threads, or cobwebs that many of us notice drifting across our line of vision as we get older. We may also notice flashes of light. Floaters move as your eye moves and dart away when you try to look at them.

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