Kiefish said:

Eye floaters are those tiny spots, specks, flecks and "cobwebs" that drift aimlessly around in your field of vision. While annoying, ordinary eye floaters and spots are very common and usually aren't cause for alarm.

Floaters and spots typically appear when tiny pieces of the eye's gel-like vitreous break loose within the inner back portion of the eye.

When we are born and throughout our youth, the vitreous has a gel-like consistency. But as we age, the vitreous begins to dissolve and liquefy to create a watery center.

Some undissolved gel particles occasionally will float around in the more liquid center of the vitreous. These particles can take on many shapes and sizes to become what we refer to as "floaters."

You'll notice that these types of spots and floaters are particularly pronounced when you peer at a bright, clear sky or a white computer screen. But you can't actually see tiny bits of debris floating loose within your eye. Instead, shadows from these floaters are cast on the retina as light passes through the eye, and those shadows are what you see.

You'll also notice that these specks never seem to stay still when you try to focus on them. Floaters and spots move when your eye moves, creating the impression that they are "drifting."

From allaboutvision

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FlickeryVision said:

Kiefish said:

Eye floaters are those tiny spots, specks, flecks and "cobwebs" that drift aimlessly around in your field of vision. While annoying, ordinary eye floaters and spots are very common and usually aren't cause for alarm.

Floaters and spots typically appear when tiny pieces of the eye's gel-like vitreous break loose within the inner back portion of the eye.

When we are born and throughout our youth, the vitreous has a gel-like consistency. But as we age, the vitreous begins to dissolve and liquefy to create a watery center.

Some undissolved gel particles occasionally will float around in the more liquid center of the vitreous. These particles can take on many shapes and sizes to become what we refer to as "floaters."

You'll notice that these types of spots and floaters are particularly pronounced when you peer at a bright, clear sky or a white computer screen. But you can't actually see tiny bits of debris floating loose within your eye. Instead, shadows from these floaters are cast on the retina as light passes through the eye, and those shadows are what you see.

You'll also notice that these specks never seem to stay still when you try to focus on them. Floaters and spots move when your eye moves, creating the impression that they are "drifting."

From allaboutvision

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They seem to keep moving in the direction i acutely direct my vision towards, even after I focus very sternly on 1 point.

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Look up at a blue sky...trust me.

Kiefish said:

Super common, I can't believe more people haven't chimed in already.

There was even a family guy episode where Stewie is dictating to Brian something along the lines of "Dear eye floaty thing, why do you always move when I try to look at you?"

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Mchaggis said:

too many "floaters" like so many it's like someone dumped a bag full of them in front of your eyes is VERY bad, like retinal detachment bad. Don't mean to scare you, but sometimes lotsa floaters can be a sign of retinal detachment, which you do not want.

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blewmeanie said:

Mchaggis said:

too many "floaters" like so many it's like someone dumped a bag full of them in front of your eyes is VERY bad, like retinal detachment bad. Don't mean to scare you, but sometimes lotsa floaters can be a sign of retinal detachment, which you do not want.

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Lots of the darkish specs is a bad thing, but lots of little spinning clear things is probably just the gel between your cornea and anterior chamber. It gets more noticeable against a solid background in bright light, and when your dehydrated or tired.

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