Dear doctor;

I have a question about my vision. My problem is that a small black spot appears when I am in bright sunlight. It only affects my right eye and when I focus on it, it drops away rapidly. It causes me no pain but is now appearing more regularly. What could this be since I can’t see it in a mirror?

Joys, 25.

Dear Joys,

Spot in front of eye or floater as it is called, though annoying, is benign in most of the cases. It appears especially more while looking at something white or bright. It occurs due to small particles of protein called collagen. They move with movement of eyes. Gradually over time, it improves as well.

But at times, floaters may be due to some underlying disease like retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, eye tumors. They can also occur after eye injury or surgery done in eye. 

If it is one or few  spots  it can be ignored. However, if the number has increased recently or it is associated with reduced vision, pain and or flashes in front of eye, it is advisable to consult an eye specialist to know the underlying cause and get it treated.