What are the connected risks when performing a surgery for floaters in the eye? My brother in law told me that I have it because I told him I am seeing weird objects which seem to block my eyesight when I’m staring at bright areas.

Martha

Juneau, Alaska

Before, the surgical procedure of Vitrectomy was believed to cure floaters in the eye. But after a few operations, it was found out that this surgical procedure has risky side effects such as cataracts, high intraocular pressure and eye bleeding.

The main purpose of Vitrectomy is to remove some or all of the vitreous humor from the eyes, not to cure floaters in the eye and it is done manually by making an opening in the outer layer of the eye and then making three small incisions through the inner wall of the eye. These incisions are for the fiber optic light, a tube to supply saline and a sucker cutter instrument. After all three are inserted in the eye the saline pipe is started, the light is turned on and the sucking and cutting of the vitreous humor is started. While this is a very crucial operation, the development of cataract after a few years is inevitable even if the procedure is done by the best eye doctors.

With the invention of lasers, some eye doctors believe that it can help remove floaters in the eye without doing damages and leaving side effects. This has been proven by a few doctors who further developed the laser technology by creating a non-thermal laser so that other elements in the eye won’t be disrupted. This laser-eye surgery procedure proved to be successful. There is still hope for you Martha. Soon, floaters in the eye can be cured easily and flawlessly.