Eye floaters are one of the more common phenomena of life, and most people have discussed their experiences with their friends and family. Of course, if these specks in your vision start getting bigger or only tend to happen at night, you may start to feel a little concerned. If you’re wondering what nighttime eye floaters are, we’ll look at what they are and what they could mean.

What Are Eye Floaters?

Eye floaters refer to the images you see that move around in your field of vision. They’re caused by small clumps in the jelly of your eye that come together and shadow your retina. You may see floaters as black dots, wavy lines, gray strands, white cobwebs, or dark rings.

Are Eye Floaters at Night a Concern?

Generally speaking, floaters are normal. You may see them more often at night because your pupils widen to let in more light as it gets dark. The wider your pupils go, the more you can see the gel where your floaters are. There’s also more contrast at night, which can cause the floaters to be more apparent.

Floaters become more frequent as you age, but the idea is that they grow more frequently at a gradual pace. If you start noticing more floaters at night or if they turn into large flashes, it’s important to schedule an emergency eye appointment in Wilmington, NC, with an optometrist immediately.

Emergency Eye Appointments in Wilmington

If you’re looking for an emergency eye doctor in Wilmington, NC, the team at Paul Vision Institute offers services for all major eye emergencies. While nighttime floaters are normal, there is a small chance that they could be a symptom of a larger problem, and it’s important to catch these symptoms sooner than later.