Asteroid hyalosis (AH) is an eye condition that causes you to develop tiny, glittering yellow particles or flecks inside your eyes. It’s usually harmless, and most cases don’t need any treatment.
The particles that develop with AH form inside the vitreous, the clear, gel-like substance inside your eyes. AH affects only one eye at a time in more than 80% of cases.
Despite its classification as a permanent and degenerative condition, most people don’t know they have it. That’s because it doesn't usually affect your vision or cause symptoms. The glittering effect inside the eye is hard to spot unless you shine a light directly at the affected eye and look closely.
Eye floaters (myodesopsias) sometimes appear in your vision due to AH crystals. Floaters are common after you turn 50, and they’re usually a normal effect of the aging process. The key difference between the two is that AH involves glittering particles in your eyes, While eye floaters can happen without those particles.