SymptomEyes & vision
Spots or Clouds in Your Vision
Spots or clouds in vision can mean floating specks and cobwebs that drift as you move your eyes (floaters), fixed blurry or dark patches, or an overall hazy, cloudy view. Floaters are usually caused by normal aging of the gel inside the eye. Cloudy vision over months is often a cataract. A sudden shower of new floaters, flashes of light, a curtain over part of your vision, or vision clouding over in spots with pain or redness needs same-day eye care.
Also called: Floaters, eye floaters, cloudy vision, spots in vision, hazy vision, blind spots
At a glance
- Floaters
- Moving specks or threads from the gel in the eye; usually harmless.
- Fixed spots
- Blind or blurry patches that stay in one place, often from retina or macula problems.
- Cloudy vision
- Overall haze, most often from cataract, dry eye or corneal problems.
- Red flags
- Sudden shower of floaters, flashes, a curtain, rapid vision loss, eye pain.
- Diagnosis
- Dilated eye exam, retinal imaging.
When to get help
Call 911 or go to the ER
- A sudden shower of new floaters, flashes of light, or a shadow or curtain across part of your vision
- Sudden cloudy or lost vision with severe eye pain, redness, headache, nausea and halos around lights
- Sudden dark or blurred patch in vision with face droop, weakness or speech difficulty
- Spots in vision after an eye injury
See a doctor within a day or two
- A new fixed dark or distorted spot in the center of your vision, or straight lines looking wavy
- Cloudy vision with a red, painful or light-sensitive eye
- Spots or blurring with severe headache, high blood pressure or late pregnancy (possible preeclampsia)
- New floaters in someone with diabetes
Book a routine appointment
- Vision gradually getting hazy or dim over months, with glare from headlights
- A few long-standing floaters that have slowly increased
Usually safe to manage at home
- Occasional familiar floaters that drift across a bright background and have not changed
Floaters vs fixed spots vs cloudy vision
| What you see | What it usually is | Typical causes |
|---|---|---|
| Specks, dots, threads or cobwebs that move when your eyes move | Floaters in the vitreous gel | Aging, posterior vitreous detachment, nearsightedness |
| A sudden "swarm" or a cloud of dots, sometimes red | Bleeding or pigment in the gel | Retinal tear, vitreous hemorrhage |
| A fixed dark or blurry spot that stays in the same place | Damage to retina, macula or optic nerve | Macular degeneration, retinal vessel blockage |
| Shimmering zigzags that spread, lasting under an hour | Migraine aura | Migraine |
| Overall haze, like looking through a dirty window | Clouding of the lens or cornea | Cataract, dry eye, corneal swelling |
| Cloudy vision with a red painful eye | Inflammation or high pressure | Uveitis, acute glaucoma, corneal infection |
Causes of floaters and spots
Aging and vitreous changes
The eye is filled with a clear gel called the vitreous. With age it becomes more liquid, and fibers clump into strands that cast shadows on the retina. Usually between 50 and 70, the gel pulls away from the retina, a posterior vitreous detachment, causing a sudden new floater, often ring-shaped, and sometimes flashes. Most are harmless, but about 1 in 10 to 15 cause a retinal tear. See floaters and posterior vitreous detachment.
Retinal tear and detachment
A tear allows fluid under the retina, leading to retinal detachment. Warning signs are many new floaters, flashes and a curtain or shadow. People who are very nearsighted, have had cataract surgery or an eye injury are at higher risk.
Bleeding inside the eye
Vitreous hemorrhage causes sudden floaters, red haze or dark clouds. The most common cause is diabetic retinopathy.
Inflammation
Uveitis, particularly at the back of the eye, causes floaters and haze, sometimes with redness and light sensitivity.
Macular disease
Macular degeneration causes a blurred or dark patch in central vision and wavy lines. Wet macular degeneration can progress quickly and needs prompt treatment.
Cataract
A cataract clouds the lens gradually, causing hazy or foggy vision, glare and faded colors. Some people describe "spots" from small lens opacities.
Other causes
- migraine aura
- preeclampsia in pregnancy, causing spots and flashing
- dry eye, causing a film that clears with blinking
- corneal swelling or infection
- optic nerve problems and stroke
How doctors evaluate spots in vision
An eye doctor will check your vision and eye pressure, then dilate your pupils to examine the retina and vitreous, paying particular attention to the far edges of the retina where tears happen. They may use a contact lens on the eye, optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans of the macula, or ultrasound if blood blocks the view. An Amsler grid test checks for central distortion.
Treatment
- Harmless floaters: no treatment. Most become less noticeable over months as the brain learns to ignore them and they settle out of the line of sight.
- Severe, persistent floaters: vitrectomy (removing the gel) or YAG laser are options in selected cases, with risks to weigh.
- Retinal tears: laser or freezing treatment to seal the tear, usually in the office.
- Retinal detachment: surgery.
- Vitreous hemorrhage: treating the cause, such as laser or injections for diabetic retinopathy, and sometimes vitrectomy.
- Cataract: surgery when cloudy vision affects daily life.
- Wet macular degeneration: injections into the eye.
- Uveitis: steroid drops or other anti-inflammatory treatment.
Frequently asked questions
Are spots in my vision serious?
Usually not. Long-standing floaters that drift and have not changed are common and harmless. Get same-day eye care for a sudden increase in floaters, flashes, a curtain or shadow, or vision loss, as these can signal a retinal tear or detachment.
What causes vision to cloud over in spots?
Patchy clouding can come from floaters, bleeding into the eye, inflammation (uveitis), or macular and retinal disease. Overall cloudiness is most often a cataract. Clouding with eye pain and redness may be acute glaucoma, which is an emergency.
Do floaters go away?
Floaters rarely disappear completely, but most become much less noticeable over weeks to months as the brain adapts and they settle lower in the eye. New floaters should always be checked first to rule out a retinal tear.
Can stress cause spots in vision?
Stress does not cause floaters, but it can make you more aware of them. Migraine aura, which can be triggered by stress, causes temporary shimmering spots. New or changing spots should be examined rather than blamed on stress.
Sources
This guide was written from current patient and clinical guidance, including:
- American Academy of Ophthalmology: Floaters and flashes; Cataracts
- National Eye Institute: Floaters; Macular degeneration
- MedlinePlus: Floaters; Cloudy vision
- American Society of Retina Specialists: Posterior vitreous detachment