If new eye floaters come with any of these, contact an eye care professional right away:
- Sudden shower of new eye floaters
- Flashes of light in your peripheral vision
- A dark curtain or shadow moving across your field of view
- Blurred vision or loss of side vision
- Eye pain or redness accompanying the eye floaters
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| Common Benign Eye Floaters | Potentially Serious Eye Floaters |
|---|---|
| Gradual onset over months or years | Sudden onset or rapid increase |
| Few in number, stable over time | Many new ones appearing at once |
| No other symptoms | Accompanied by flashes or vision loss |
| More noticeable in bright light | Persistent even in dim conditions |
| Common with aging | May follow eye injury or surgery |
What to Do When You Notice New Eye Floaters
The first step with new eye floaters is simple: don’t ignore them, but don’t panic either. Start by monitoring how they behave over a few days.
That constant worry about whether eye floaters mean something worse can be draining. The good news is that a professional evaluation brings clarity and peace of mind.
Schedule an eye exam soon, especially if the eye floaters are persistent or bothersome. Your eye doctor will dilate your pupils to examine the vitreous and retina thoroughly.
