Thousands of people around the world experience significant
floaters in their field of vision, and this can have a serious negative
impact on their quality of life. Floaters are flecks, fly-like spots or
cobwebs, which move in and out and around the field of vision. They can
be exceptionally frustrating and people can even become affected with
low mood and anxiety due to these floaters. The good news is that
floaters are not harmful and they can be removed with the help of
vitrectomy surgery.
The vitreous is a gel-like substance and as we age the gel becomes liquid. In younger people who are perhaps shortsighted, the gel can be more liquid at an earlier age. Floaters appear when parts of the vitreous gel collapse and tiny vitreous gel fibres are created. These float around the back of the eye, and cast shadows on the retina, which is the light seeing part of the eye. You will find that the floaters are more pronounced if you're looking at a white computer screen or staring into light.
Vitrectomy surgery for floaters is a minimally-invasive surgery, which is carried out by a specialist retinal surgeon. This surgery is usually carried out under local anaesthetic and the anaesthetist or surgeon will numb the eye. This means you are awake throughout the process, but you will not feel anything. There are always people in the operating room to talk to and help keep you calm throughout the process. If you feel too nervous then you may decide that a general anaesthetic is the best solution. Then the vitrectomy surgery for floaters is carried out with you asleep and when you awake the surgery is over.
In surgery, a specialised microscope is used to look inside the eyeball, and three small "micro" incisions are made, and then insert some small instruments into the eye. A tiny instrument gently removes the gel from the eye by a suction, which removes all the gel from inside the eye. An air bubble often fills the empty vitreous cavity at the end of surgery, and over one week, this is replaced by fluid that is made inside your eye and fills the vitreous cavity. The surgery is a quick procedure and is often treated as a day case, which means you can go home the same day. You will be required to wear an eye patch for one day. This enables your eye to rest and recover. Ensure you have someone who can accompany you home after your surgery and you must not drive for 10 days and until you feel comfortable. The surgeon will advise you when you can return to work and when you can start driving again.
On the morning after surgery, the eye patch is taken off and you will be given eye drops that you must use as described for four weeks. When you return home you will have set instructions from your surgeon that you must follow to the letter. This will include what you can and cannot do and what to look out for. Some of the signs and symptoms to watch out for include increased pain, redness of the eye, increased swelling and eye discharge. In the event you experience any of these you must contact your surgeon as soon as possible.
It normally takes roughly 4 to 6 weeks for your vision to restore to normal. During the recovery period, you may be aware of "debris" in your vision. These visual obscurations can be frustrating, as you would have expected your vision to be completely normal after surgery. The symptoms of "debris" take time to settle as your eye recovers from surgery. Patients who have had vitrectomy surgery for floaters have found it exceptionally successful and provides a massive improvement in their quality of life.
The vitreous is a gel-like substance and as we age the gel becomes liquid. In younger people who are perhaps shortsighted, the gel can be more liquid at an earlier age. Floaters appear when parts of the vitreous gel collapse and tiny vitreous gel fibres are created. These float around the back of the eye, and cast shadows on the retina, which is the light seeing part of the eye. You will find that the floaters are more pronounced if you're looking at a white computer screen or staring into light.
Vitrectomy surgery for floaters is a minimally-invasive surgery, which is carried out by a specialist retinal surgeon. This surgery is usually carried out under local anaesthetic and the anaesthetist or surgeon will numb the eye. This means you are awake throughout the process, but you will not feel anything. There are always people in the operating room to talk to and help keep you calm throughout the process. If you feel too nervous then you may decide that a general anaesthetic is the best solution. Then the vitrectomy surgery for floaters is carried out with you asleep and when you awake the surgery is over.
In surgery, a specialised microscope is used to look inside the eyeball, and three small "micro" incisions are made, and then insert some small instruments into the eye. A tiny instrument gently removes the gel from the eye by a suction, which removes all the gel from inside the eye. An air bubble often fills the empty vitreous cavity at the end of surgery, and over one week, this is replaced by fluid that is made inside your eye and fills the vitreous cavity. The surgery is a quick procedure and is often treated as a day case, which means you can go home the same day. You will be required to wear an eye patch for one day. This enables your eye to rest and recover. Ensure you have someone who can accompany you home after your surgery and you must not drive for 10 days and until you feel comfortable. The surgeon will advise you when you can return to work and when you can start driving again.
On the morning after surgery, the eye patch is taken off and you will be given eye drops that you must use as described for four weeks. When you return home you will have set instructions from your surgeon that you must follow to the letter. This will include what you can and cannot do and what to look out for. Some of the signs and symptoms to watch out for include increased pain, redness of the eye, increased swelling and eye discharge. In the event you experience any of these you must contact your surgeon as soon as possible.
It normally takes roughly 4 to 6 weeks for your vision to restore to normal. During the recovery period, you may be aware of "debris" in your vision. These visual obscurations can be frustrating, as you would have expected your vision to be completely normal after surgery. The symptoms of "debris" take time to settle as your eye recovers from surgery. Patients who have had vitrectomy surgery for floaters have found it exceptionally successful and provides a massive improvement in their quality of life.
Mahi Muqit is a Consultant Ophthalmologist, Cataract and
Vitreoretinal Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London in the United
Kingdom. He provides high quality eye services and retinal surgery at
two private practices in the London area, Moorfields Private and 119
Harley Street. He specialises in diabetic eye disease services and was a
co-author for the Diabetic Retinopathy Guidelines by the Royal College
of Ophthalmologists, UK. He is also a member of the Royal College of
Ophthalmologists, British and Eire Association of Vitreoretinal
Surgeons, UK and Ireland Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons,
the Working Group for Diabetic Retinopathy with the International Agency
for the Prevention of Blindness, and the Diabetic Eye Care Committee
for the International Council of Ophthalmology. He also is a volunteer
consultant and is involved in a number of international diabetic
retinopathy screenings in Bangladesh and Indonesia
