Posterior Vitreous Detachment: The Most Common Cause of New Floaters
Most new floaters after age 55 come from a normal aging change in the eye's gel — but a small percentage signal something urgent. Here is how to tell.
The inside of your eye is filled with vitreous, a clear gel attached to the retina. With age, that gel liquefies and shrinks, eventually peeling away from the retinal surface. This event is called a posterior vitreous detachment, or PVD, and it happens to most people eventually — commonly in the late 50s through 70s.
What It Feels Like
- A sudden increase in floaters — specks, strands, cobwebs, or a prominent ring-shaped floater
- Flashes of light, often arcs in the peripheral vision, most noticeable in dim rooms or when moving the eyes
- Symptoms that are dramatic at first and gradually settle over weeks to months
A PVD by itself does not damage vision. The gel simply casts shadows on the retina until your brain learns to ignore them and the floaters drift out of the visual axis.
Why It Still Needs an Exam
As the vitreous pulls away, it can tug hard on the retina. In roughly one in ten symptomatic PVDs, that traction causes a retinal tear — and an untreated tear allows fluid under the retina, leading to a retinal detachment that threatens permanent vision loss.
There is no way to distinguish a harmless PVD from one with a tear based on symptoms alone. That is why any sudden change in floaters or flashes deserves a dilated examination, ideally within 24 to 48 hours.
Red-Flag Symptoms — Call Immediately
- A sudden shower of dozens or hundreds of new floaters
- Persistent flashing lights
- A dark curtain, veil, or shadow moving in from the side
- A sudden drop in vision
How Tears Are Treated
If a tear is found, it is usually sealed in the office with laser retinopexy or cryotherapy in a few minutes. Sealing a tear early prevents the far more involved surgery a detachment would require.
Living With Floaters
Once a tear has been ruled out and the retina is confirmed healthy, most floaters become less noticeable over three to six months. Good lighting and blinking help. For the small number of patients with floaters dense enough to interfere with reading or driving long after the PVD has settled, surgical options exist and can be discussed.
Follow-Up Matters
A retina can tear weeks after the initial PVD. Dr. Garg often schedules a repeat dilated exam four to six weeks later, even when the first exam is clear. Keep that appointment, and call sooner if symptoms change.
Same-week evaluation for new floaters and flashes is available at both offices — call (954) 633-8202.
Ready to Protect Your Vision?
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Pooja Garg at Retina Eye Specialists today.
Call (954) 633-8202