Myopia: What are those strange flying things we've all seen?

You may have noticed that sometimes, while you are looking at your mobile screen, or at something, or in general when you are observing something, some strange flying objects appear in front of you, like little shadows! In fact, they don't seem to move in any particular direction, but the moment you try to focus on them, they suddenly disappear and you will never be able to catch them.

If you notice it, you should not be afraid or imagine things. These strange little flying things are actually quite a thing An unfortunate phenomenon Which happens naturally. These are the so-called Nearsightedness.

Their scientific name is Flying flies Which in Latin means flying flies (no relation to what is actually happening), while in English they are also called “floaters”. This is a phenomenon that occurs under very specific conditions, where small pieces of tissue can break off inside the eyeball. These pieces then project their shadow onto our retina, thus causing this recurring and mysterious phenomenon. Red blood cells and protein complexes can also have the same results as the tissue pieces mentioned above.

The reason we can't focus on them is because they move with them when our eyes move, because they float in a jelly-like substance! The objects exist within the eye itself and are not optical illusions but internal phenomena.

For a myopic person to see, a monochromatic and bright background helps. Of course, the perception of nearsightedness can be annoying or problematic for some people, in which case it is known as myopia. In general, of course, no treatment is needed, except in severe cases, where vitrectomy (surgery), laser vitreolysis, and medications can be effective.

Below you'll also find a TED-Ed explainer video summarizing everything you need to know about this phenomenon: