Ask the doctor: Do I need to worry about floaters?
Floaters are tiny clusters of cells or flecks of protein that are lodged in the vitreous, the fluid that fills the eyeball. What we actually see as a floater is the shadow these clumps cast on the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye that is responsible for vision. Most floaters and flashes are harmless and occur as a result of normal aging and shrinking of the vitreous.
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