“Floaters” is a very broad term, describing objects that seem to float in your vision. By far and away, floaters are not dangerous nor sight-threatening– they are simply changes in the jelly of the eye, called the vitreous, that occurs as we grow older.
In some instances, floaters can represent blood or pigment, that may arise from a retinal tear; you can read more about this under the “retinal tears” section of NaderMoinfarMD.com.
Assuming that the floaters are not from a retinal tear, inflammation or certain cancers of the eye, it is perfectly fine to just leave floaters alone. Over time, much of the visual disturbance will simply diminish, as the floater breaks up and becomes smaller.
I personally have had floaters in both eyes since college, and really don’t even notice them very much. Like most people, I will notice them if I’m reading, or observing something against a white background.
Occasionally, a patient may be referred to me for floaters that are truly interfering with their activities of daily living– pilots, professional drivers, etc. Typically, persons such as these will have a large opacity that is pretty much stuck in their central vision, causing a blind spot– perhaps posing a danger to themselves, and well as others.
Treatment for floaters is widely discussed, and there are really no great clinical studies or randomized trials to suggest what works best. You may read some who advocate doing laser, and some who even offer nutritional advice.
I would suggest that if you are concerned, that you seek the help of a fellowship-trained retina specialist. An experienced retina surgeon can offer the most definite treatment, which is to physically remove the floaters through a procedure called a vitrectomy. You can view videos of how a vitrectomy is performed under the “videos” section of NaderMoinfarMD.com.
Briefly, a vitrectomy is an outpatient procedure performed under local anesthesia. The vitreous is removed, and temporarily replaced with saline; over time, your eye will replace the saline with its own fluid. Recovery time is just a day or two, and patients can usually resume most of their regular activities soon thereafter. If performed correctly, once the floaters/junk are removed, they should not come back.