Black Spots in Vision

A very prominent symptom of eye floaters is the black spots that are often visible against a light-colored background. These are made up of dead blood cells that have banded together and cast a dot-like shadow onto the retina. These spots are very numerous with patients reporting seeing up to several hundreds in a single eye. Luckily, spots are very small and hard to see. Ignoring them is very easy unless they are situated directly in the central line of vision, where they might appear to be more pigmented.

The black spots in the field of vision are caused by the same mechanism that causes eye floaters, most commonly vitreous syneresis, though there are many other causes. It has been reported that black spots are also frequently caused by head trauma and stress so avoiding both is vital to prevent more black spots.

Black spots should not be confused with eye flashes. If you suddenly see many new black spots in your vision, consult an eye specialist immediately. This could be a sign of a retinal detachment as it most likely means that blood is entering your vitreous humor.

Go back to What are Eye Floaters? or read Why do People Notice Eye Floaters?