Should Lasers Be Used to Treat Eye Floaters?
August 4, 2010
I have just put online a unique look at a controversial subject, the use of the ophthalmic YAG laser to dissipate eye floaters. There are only 3 doctors in the U.S. that specialize in this technique: Dr. Scott Geller of Fort Myers, Florida; Dr. James H. Johnson of Irvine, California; and Dr. John Karickhoff of Falls Church, Virginia. I interviewed the three and present their perspectives on using lasers to eliminate bothersome “floaters”. An interesting question addressed in the interviews is why more ophthalmologists are not using this technique.
Some quick introductory comments for patients: eye floaters are tiny spots, specks, flecks and “cobwebs” that drift aimlessly around in your field of vision. They typically appear when tiny pieces of the eye’s gel-like vitreous break loose within the anterior portion of the eye. While annoying, ordinary eye floaters and spots are very common and usually aren’t cause for alarm in the sense that they are not typically a threat to the overall health of the eye. However, less commonly, floaters may be caused by more serious conditions such as retinal tears or hemorrhages, inflammatory conditions, diabetes, autoimmune disorders and infections. Accordingly, the onset of floaters should be promptly evaluated by an eye care professional to rule out such serious causes.
With that, to read my article on the use of the ophthalmic YAG laser to eliminate floaters, please go to: http://tinyurl.com/vitreolysis
I hope you enjoy this treatise, and invite comments on the subject on this blog.
Comments
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41 Responses to “Should Lasers Be Used to Treat Eye Floaters?”
Hi I have developed Eye Floaters approx. 6 months ago and it is driving me CRAZY. I was just wondering since the last reply was 3 years ago is there any other doctors doing this corrective surgery maybe in South Florida or Colombia South America?
ANY advice is greatly Appreciated..
In May of 2015, I started seeing a floater in my left eye (5 months after having had laser cataract surgery and less than a week after having the same procedure done in the right eye). The floater is constantly in my field of vision and is at times quite annoying. I spoke to my surgeon on several occasions and received the same answer as most have already commented. You will get used to the floater and will eventually be a non-issue. It’s been nearly six months and it has not improved much for me. I contacted Dr. Scott Geller, and I plan to see him and have the procedure done as I can not see myself going on like this into the future. Most of the testimonials I have watched about Dr. Scott Geller appear very positive and I wonder if anyone has had the procedure done and did not obtain good results from Dr. Scott Geller.
I also live in Ontario, Canada and wonder if Don from Ontario, Canada who mentioned he was referred to an Ophthalmologist here in Ontario would share the name of this doctor.
Joseph
Is there anyone who is performing this surger y in Illinois or ISCONSIN, or perhaps THE Mayo Clinic. my local ophthalmologist says that no one at the Froedert Eye Institue, Milwaukee Wis., does this surgery. none at Northwestwern Chicago.
thanks, Joy
Floaters are annoying and can affect the quality of ones life, at least the laser technology has improved, look up the new Ellex Ultra Q Reflex laser.
And vitrectomy procedures (FOV’s) are getting a bit safer now that they are starting to use 27 Gauge instrumentation,
Are there any doctors in the Atlanta, GA area that do YAG laser surgery?
Hi Irv,
I lived in Toronto Ontario. Would you know any Dr. who uses this type of laser to treat floaters. I’ve not heard any Dr. who uses or recommend this kind of treatment. I understand Don asked you the same question above. Thanks.
Dr. Karickhoff performed this procedure on me three years ago and it was as if someone washed mud from my eyes. I have since developed another large mass in my left eye, which he warned may happen. My current opthamologist told me the procedure was “ineffective” and didn’t fall under mainstream practices and the insurance would not cover it.
I will most likely go to see Dr. Karickhoff and have an evaluation, paid out of pocket, if this new one doesn’t resolve.
I lived in Fort Myers for about 9 months and developed a large floater in left eye.
I was referred to Dr. Geller. The referring doctor’s office called Dr. Geller and
put me on phone, The person at Dr Geller’s office told me that I would have to
pay cash up front, 1800.00 per eye, they did not want to talk insurance, so just
took it for granted Dr. Geller does not accept Medicare or supplement. This
procedure may not be covered by Medicare, but I had such an odd feeling when
speaking to Dr. Geller’s office. I had an acquaintance who said he did her eye,
but took insurance. Good luck, hope your experience is better than mine.
the laser is beyond simple. any ophthalmologist can do it. it hardly works, which is why we typically dont offer it.
Don,
As I’ve just emailed you, get in touch with him/her and ask about his experience with using a laser to do floaters. If he is any good, he should respond and tell you how many procedures he’s done.
Irv
I have lived with some floaters in both eyes for several years. Like many patients I was told you had to live with them. After discussing again with my doctor, I mentioned that at least three doctors in the US (and several in UK and Europe) were treating floaters with YAG lasers. I live in Ontario, Canada, and was not aware of any Ophthalmologistss doing this laser surgery in Canada. I have now been referred to an Ophthalmologist just an hour away from where I live, who supposedly does treat eye floaters. How do I know whether this doctor has any experience/success doing this procedure? Are you aware of any doctors in Ontario Canada doing this surgery??
Zivko,
I wrote the article several years ago and at that time, there were only the three doctors in the U.S. doing the procedure on a regular basis.
I haven’t done any research since, so don’t know if there are any docs in the NY/NJ area now doing it. Perhaps Dr. Weitzner might know.
At the time, the closest to you would be John Karickhoff in Falls Church, VA.
Irv
Hi Irv,
Just recently had a PVD and am experiencing a large amount of floaters. I am a photographer and this is seriously effecting my ability to focus on images. I am myopic and have keratoconus in both eyes.
Do you know of any doctors in the New Jersey New York area that use YAG to help eliminate floaters?
Much appreciated,
Zivko
Joy, there may be doctors using their YAG lasers to treat floaters in India, as Ari says, any doctor with an ophthalmic YAG laser can do it, but I am not aware of them.
Any yag laser treatment clinic for eye floaters in india?
as i said, any doctor can do it. it’s very very easy. we just dont see great results, so it never caugt on. but since its so sfae, maybewe should offer it more often- i dont mind making an extrra $1200, as long as the p[atient understands the low success rate.
we blow off nutrition questions, because americans are obsessed with vitamins (thanks to incessant commercials), and the fact is there is no evdience that any of these vitamin suplement are of any good in a country like the u.s. where there is no vitamin deficiency. the vast majority of the vitamins you swallow go straight into the urine- the body cant absorb it, since the body already has plenty. so we doctrs sometimes get impatient and dont want to answer these questions. sorry about that! (of course, in advance macular degeneration, some vitamins can reduce the risk of bleeding slightly. otherwise, you dont need vitamins)
I had the procedure done by Dr. Karickhoff to eliminate a large fuzzy corner of the eye floater that would jump out at odd times giving me the feeling I was being stalked. I have floaters in both eyes, but only had one eye done because insurance did not pay for it and I think I paid $1,200 in 2007. He was very honest with me stating that I would have perhaps only a 60-70% improvement and I believe that’s about what I got. It was a quick, painless procedure and my eye was itchy afterwards but I was able to drive back to Ohio with no trouble. I would have the procedure again without hesitation. My only complaint was that I asked the doctor for eye nutrition do’s and don’ts and he blew me off impatiently as if it was a crazy question. I also wish there were more than 3 doctors in the US doing this procedure. The idea of flying to California or Florida on top of the uninsured procedure cost is a deal-breaker.
well, the fact is we scientists and doctors have to prioritize, and the fact is there are many more diseases that cause visual loss than floaters, so floaters will have to go on the back burner. sorry.
Many of us afflicted with severe floaters are working at vision-intensive jobs on which ophthalmologists’ own health or safety might depend. Perhaps if they realized this, they’d put more effort into solving the problem, instead of telling patients to just live with it. The sad thing is, since they won’t identify it as a real problem, we can’t even go on disability when floaters get so bad they interfere with our jobs.
laser had absolutely nothing to do with the cataract. trust me on this one. did the laser help, by the way?
