# Seeing Spots
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-spots/3503
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [September 25, 1999, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-spots/3503 "1999-09-25T20:59:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Sniffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sniffy)
#### Post date: [September 25, 1999, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-spots/3503/1 "1999-09-25T20:59:00Z")
Why do I have these weird moving spots in my field of vision? If I look at a bright, blank surface (Like an even, overcast sky) I see two distinct kinds of spots - The first are really tiny and zip around rapidly. The others look like cells or something like you would see under a microscope and sort of gently float around. As long as I can remember they’ve been there, but what are they?
Does anyone else have these spots?
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### Author:  [@Stephen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephen)
#### Post date: [September 25, 1999, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-spots/3503/2 "1999-09-25T21:04:00Z")
Cecil covered this. They are bits of biological debris (dead veins and stuff) floating in the fluid of the eye. When they cross a certain point in the focal path of the eye, they give the effect you’re describing.
* * *
Stephen
[Stephen’s Website](http://stephen.fathom.org)
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### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [September 25, 1999, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-spots/3503/3 "1999-09-25T21:09:00Z")
the floaties you describe are harmless, but if you ever have a “flash” or a black spot, get to an opthamologist pronto! That can be the sign of a retina that is about to detach - which could affect the sight in the eye partially or totally.
(My mum’s had two laser surgeries and one gas injection into the eye in the past two months, and is scheduled for another injection next week. Not fun.)
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### Author:  [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)
#### Post date: [September 25, 1999, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-spots/3503/4 "1999-09-25T23:20:00Z")
Please take jti’s message to heart. He is absolutely correct.
The dark, thready looking things are “floaters”, parts of the inner that that have harmlessly detached and drift around in the liquid of the inner eye. They’re mildly distracting, especially in bright light, but not dangerous.
Anything more is a real sign of danger to your sight and you should get it checked out, ASAP. I had a partially detached retina and feel very fortunate that it the problem was found. Blindness is nothing to fool around about.
P.S. Not all retinal detachment involves painful treatment. In my case, it just meant a new prescription for my lenses, being careful of eye strain, and monitoring it. It was years ago…and I can still see.
Veb
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### Author:  [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)
#### Post date: [September 26, 1999, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-spots/3503/5 "1999-09-26T14:14:00Z")
Cecil on “floaters.”
[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2\_311.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_311.html)
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### Author:  [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)
#### Post date: [September 26, 1999, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-spots/3503/6 "1999-09-26T15:55:00Z")
If I can rephrase the question, because I’ve wondered, too:
The floaters that I have appear to be “clumps” of whatever cellular debris, and are relatively large. I did not notice one of these until I was almost 30. Now I have a bunch.
The other type of floaters are very small, and always round. They appear to be individual cells. I’ve noticed them since I was a kid.
I think the question, then, is “Are both types just some cellular debris?” They do appear to be.
But I could be totally wrong on all points.
So, I think the
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [September 26, 1999, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-spots/3503/7 "1999-09-26T16:04:00Z")
I love floaters cause if I sit quietly I can control their direction. It’s almost mind control but is really done with using the eyes.
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### Author:  [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)
#### Post date: [September 28, 1999, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-spots/3503/8 "1999-09-28T02:14:00Z")
In addition to the stuff that’s actually inside your eyeballs, you can also see stuff that’s on the surface. The film of moisture on your eyes commonly has dust and other debris. Ordinarily you don’t see it because you can’t focus on anything that close to your eyes, but if the light is right, it can cast a direct shadow onto your retina.