What Causes Floaters

So what are the main causes of these floaters, and what can we do to prevent, cure or ease the sufferer of this phenomenon?
There are numerous causes of floaters. However most causes are generally incurred by any damage to the eye that causes material to enter the vitreous humour and thus result in floaters.
The most common cause of floaters is a result of shrinkage of the vitreous humour, this gel-like substance consists of 99% water and 1% solid consisting of a network of collagen and hyaluronic acid. The chemical breakdown of this network makes the hyaluronic acid release its trapped water, and thus create these floaters that pester the patient. Floaters caused in this way tend to be few in number, and are quite harmless and sufferers can go about their daily lives unhindered once the sufferer gets used to the floater.
Eye floaters may also be a symptom occurring after cataract, or if the eye is inflamed from an infection like conjunctivitis. Eye floaters may also be caused by injury to the eye or inflammation due to any dirt, injury, myopia or through an infection on the outside of the eye.
They could even indicate trouble with the veins, or possibly carotid artery disease in some cases. When these conditions are not looked at by an eye specialist, it could lead to eye damage or in the worse case scenario of vascular or carotid artery disease, eye floaters may be a serious early warning of a stroke or a heart attack.