Eye Floater Treatment

Floaters are tiny specks of substance which may appear in the normally clear vitreous humor of the eye, between the lens and the retina. These specks move about and cause a shadow to appear on the retina and in the patient's line of vision.

Floaters are common as we age, and are generally not considered a medical problem. Sufferers eventually learn to ignore the floating threads or spots, and they may eventually settle at the bottom of the eye, out of the field of vision.

For some people, the problem is more serious. It may severely affect their concentration when reading or driving. Some of these 'vitreous opacities' appear like large fuzzy balls which float around distractingly, although such occurrences are rare. Others may develop floaters which affect their vocation. The ring-shaped floaters known as Weiss Rings are particularly unacceptable for musicians as they appear as musical notes moving and floating across the pages of musical score. In these instances, treatment is considered necessary.

There are very few surgeons who are prepared to treat eye floaters and many qualified ophthalmologists have never heard of anyone who will treat the floaters with a laser procedure. In Florida it has drawn regulatory scrutiny, but so far without any justification. Patients may have to fly to other countries to obtain a specialist who will treat their floater. Even in the United States there are currently only two doctors who practise this procedure, and even they advise 95% of sufferers to live with the floaters.

Only certain candidates are suitable for the laser treatment and a very specific intensity of laser beam must be used for the procedure to be successful. Although the laser treatment is generally successful it does carry some risk. Most ophthalmologists believe that treating a benign condition such as floaters, is not worth subjecting the patient to any unnecessary risk at all. They also remain very skeptical of the success rates.

Types of Treatment for Floaters
Floater are often treated with laser treatment. Often more than 100 pinpoint zaps are required to vaporise a floater into a less dense consistence which is less noticeable. The procedure may take up to 30 minutes. It is currently controversial; results are reportedly mixed and it is possible to leave a patient worse off than before the treatment.

Alternatively, Vitrectomy is used to treat the floaters. This involves removing most or all of the patient's eyeball fluid. Sutureless vitrectomy may also be performed in certain circumstances. Laser is looked upon as a more favorable and less risky procedure than vitrectomy.

Complications and Risks
Theoretically there is the possibility of a detached retina as a result of laser surgery for the treatment of floaters. Another problem may be an increase of pressure within the eye, a possible cause of glaucoma. The risk of complications is however extremely low, at just 0.1% of patients having a problem.

General Advice
For most people who suffer with any type of floater the advice from doctors is to live with it. Often the floater will settle at the bottom of the eye, out of the line of sight. Alternatively, patients learn to ignore the floaters and they eventually are no longer noticeable.

However, if there are ever a series of flashes in a person's vision, or there is a sudden appearance of many small floaters moving across the field of vision, they should be referred to an eye doctor as soon as possible. These may the first signs of a detached retina or of blood cells leaking into the normally clear vitreous humor.

Related Articles:

• Eye Floaters and Spots
• Causes of Eye Floaters
• Diabetic Retinopathy - Eye floaters can be a symptom of this disease
• Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment
• CMV retinitis - Symptoms include eye floaters

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