Virtually every individual has experienced or will experience the visual shadows caused by vitreous strands and opacities, commonly referred to as “floaters”, during their lifetime. For most, this event is a minor and short-lived inconvenience, but for some it can become a disabling condition.

At a young age, the vitreous is perfectly transparent. Over time as the eye ages, this vitreous humour can degenerate, losing its form and liquefying. Without the stable vitreous humour, the collagen fibres collapse and bind together to form clumps and knots. It is these fibres, which cast shadows on the retina and appear as spots, strings, or cobwebs that are commonly referred to as “floaters”.

In many cases as the eye ages further, the vitreous humour can peel away from the retina entirely. This is known as Posterior Vitreous Detachment (PVD). PVD is often associated with a sudden increase in the number of floaters.

Standard visual tests are unable to quantify the effect of vitreous strands and opacities on a patients’ quality of vision. While they are not sight threatening, floaters can result in significant visual disturbance. Indeed, a study by Wagle et al. found that many sufferers consider them to inflict the same degree of burden and emotional strain as Age-Related Macular Degeneration. It has been suggested that long-distance drivers and post-cataract surgery patients with multifocal IOLs suffer the most from the symptoms of vitreous strands and opacities, particularly at night when the pupil is dilated to its maximum.