What is posterior vitreous detachment?
In short
- The gel inside the eye pulling away from the retina with age. New floaters and flashes which usually settle, but they need checking within 24 hours because the symptoms match a retinal tear.
- New floaters: spots, threads or a cobweb which drift across the view, most obvious against a bright wall or sky.
- See an optometrist, or go to A&E or eye casualty, within 24 hours of new floaters or flashes, so a retinal tear can be ruled out or treated.
Also called: PVD
- Part of the eye
- Vitreous gel
- Group
- Retina & sight loss
- Vision functions involved
- Visual field, Contrast and detail
- Main source
- RNIB
The eye is filled with a clear gel called the vitreous, mostly water and collagen. With age it becomes more watery, loses its shape and comes away from the retina, shrinking towards the centre of the eye. This is a posterior vitreous detachment. It is painless and does not cause sight loss, but it produces floaters, small dark spots or shapes, and flashes of light. Because the same symptoms can mean a retinal tear, which needs prompt treatment, an optometrist or ophthalmologist should examine your eye within 24 hours.
Optometrist
An eye-care professional who tests sight, checks eye health and can refer you for specialist care. Glossary entry
Ophthalmologist
A medical doctor who specialises in eye conditions and their treatment. Glossary entry
Retina
The light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. Glossary entry
Posterior vitreous detachment
The jelly inside the eye pulling away from the retina with age. Common, usually harmless, but new flashes and floaters need checking the same day. Glossary entry
Vitreous
The clear gel which fills the eye behind the lens. It shrinks with age, which causes floaters. Glossary entry
Ophthalmologist
A hospital doctor who specialises in eyes. Glossary entry
How posterior vitreous detachment can affect day-to-day life
You may recognise some of these situations, or none of them. The point is to find help with the things you want to do.
Reading against a bright page
A dark thread floats across the words.
Move your eyes up and down to shift the floater, lower the screen brightness, and give it time.
A clear blue sky
Floaters are most visible outdoors in bright light.
Sunglasses reduce the contrast. The brain learns to ignore them over weeks.
Changes you may notice
- New floaters: spots, threads or a cobweb which drift across the view, most obvious against a bright wall or sky.
- Flashes of light, often at the edge of vision. A sudden shower of new floaters, a curtain or shadow, or blurred sight means a possible tear or detachment.
Everyone is different. Symptoms on their own cannot identify a condition.
What to do about a new or sudden changeAssessment and care
See an optometrist, or go to A&E or eye casualty, within 24 hours of new floaters or flashes, so a retinal tear can be ruled out or treated. There is no treatment for the PVD itself and none is needed. You will usually be asked to come back at once if the symptoms change. Most people diagnosed with a PVD do not develop a tear or detachment.
How vision is affected
These topics explain the parts of vision involved. They do not predict your sight, diagnose anything or show the condition itself.
Visual field
Finding a face and noticing the edge of a step make different demands on sight. One uses the centre of your view. The other uses the edges.
Open the visual field labContrast and detail
Sharp edges only help when they stand out from the background. Contrast, print size and blur each change how easy a task is.
Open the contrast and detail labEveryday support
Carry on with normal activities. Floaters show up most against bright plain backgrounds, so sunglasses outdoors and a darker screen background can help while the brain adapts. Keep the warning signs in mind for a few weeks: a sudden increase in floaters, new flashes, or a shadow coming across the vision means going straight back.
Driving: you must tell DVLA about an eye condition which affects both eyes, or your only seeing eye. Driving and your eyesight
Common questions
Is a PVD serious?
On its own, no. It is painless and does not cause sight loss, and the brain learns to ignore the floaters. The risk is that about 10 to 15 in 100 people with a PVD develop a retinal tear, which can become a detachment if untreated. That is why new symptoms are checked within 24 hours.
Where do I go to be checked?
An optometrist, A&E or eye casualty, within 24 hours of noticing the symptoms. You can call 111 for advice on where to go.
Will the floaters go away?
They usually become less noticeable as the brain adapts and the gel settles. Most people see as well as before once the PVD has finished.
A question to take to your appointment
Has the PVD finished, was there any sign of a tear, and exactly which changes should bring me back the same day?Prepare your appointment checklist
Sources and review status
- Written by
- The Omnirx.io team, from the sources above
- Sources checked
- Page updated
- Next review due
- Clinical review
- Not yet. No clinician has endorsed this page.
- Reading level
- About 17 words a sentence, 259 words of guidance
Was this page useful?
Cite this page
Glanced (2026) Posterior vitreous detachment: what the name means, care and support. Omnirx.io team for Medstack Ltd. Available at: https://www.glanced.co.uk/condition/posterior-vitreous-detachment/ (Accessed: ). Source checked 4 October 2026.
Educational information. Follow the advice of your own eye-care team.