[Sportschosun Reporter Jang Jong-ho] Many people dismiss floaters, which appear as if flies or black dots are drifting in front of the eyes, as a simple sign of aging.
However, it is better to get an accurate diagnosis, as the symptom may indicate a serious eye disease.
In fact, retinal disease was found in one out of every four patients with floaters.
Seoul Nune Eye Hospital analyzed 4,900 patients who visited the hospital with floater symptoms from January to December 2025 and found retinal disease in 1,190 of them, or 24.3%. Among the retinal diseases detected, retinal degeneration was the most common at 888 cases, or 74.6%, followed by retinal tears at 302 cases, or 25.4%. Based on the total number of floater patients, retinal degeneration accounted for 18.1% and retinal tears for 6.1%.
Floaters are usually a natural change associated with aging, but the key issue is not the symptom itself. It is whether the condition is changing. If black spots increase, flashes of light appear, or part of the visual field becomes obscured, the retina should be examined.
The most commonly identified condition in the analysis was retinal degeneration, which refers to thinning or weakening of the peripheral retina. It often causes no noticeable symptoms, but in some cases it can lead to a retinal tear or retinal detachment. Retinal detachment occurs when the retina separates from the wall of the eye, and if it progresses, it can cause vision loss.
A retinal tear is a small hole or break in the retina. Typical symptoms include sudden floaters or flashes of light, and if treatment is delayed, it can progress to retinal detachment. The risk is known to be relatively higher in people with high myopia and in middle-aged and older adults.
Retinal disease can reduce the risk of vision loss if it is detected early and treated properly. Retinal degeneration can be monitored regularly to check whether it is progressing, while retinal tears can often be treated relatively simply if found early, preventing progression to retinal detachment.
Kim Ju-young, director of the Retina Center at Seoul Nune Eye Hospital, said, "Not all floaters mean there is a disease, but in actual clinical practice, retinal degeneration or retinal tears are being found in a significant number of patients. If symptoms different from usual appear, it is necessary to check the cause through a retinal examination."
Jang Jong-ho, bellho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
