Fort Myers, Florida
I had the vitrectomy and lens replacement please see section D of post above.
June 21, 2012
I had a good trip to Fort Myers, Florida where I received laser surgery for vitreous floaters. Philosophically, it was interesting that prior to my trip, my local ophthalmologists were unwilling to sign my insurance form in order to have the British Columbia government insurance cover my medical costs. The surgeon in Florida uses a rare laser procedure that only one other ophthalmologist in the world offers. My local surgeons would not phone the surgeon in Florida, as requested by him, in order to receive information concerning why his procedure works to remove large vitreous clumps. My floaters have nothing to do with cancer.http://www.diseasesdatabase.com/umlsdef.asp?glngUserChoice=31270
Vitreous floaters:
"A blurry spot that appears to float around in the eye but does not block vision. The blur is the result of debris from the vitreous humour casting a shadow on the retina."
Source: National Cancer Institute Thesaurus, 2006_03D
Vitreous floaters:
"Floaters; spots before the eyes caused by opaque cell fragments in the vitreous humor or lens."
Source: National Cancer Institute Thesaurus, 2006_03D
The laser removed the large annoying clumps, but cannot remove smaller floaters, and it is dangerous to try and remove floaters that are too close to the retina. I therefore will likely pursue a vitrectomy as my right eye is filled with floaters.http://www.stlukeseye.com/Surgical/Vitrectomy.asp
Vitrectomy
Overview
The vitreous is a normally clear, gel-like substance that fills the center of the eye. It makes up approximately 2/3 of the eye's volume, giving it form and shape before birth. Certain problems affecting the back of the eye may require a vitrectomy, or surgical removal of the vitreous. After a vitrectomy, the vitreous is replaced as the eye secretes aqueous and nutritive fluids.
A vitrectomy may be performed to clear blood and debris from the eye, to remove scar tissue, or to alleviate traction on the retina. Blood, inflammatory cells, debris, and scar tissue obscure light as it passes through the eye to the retina, resulting in blurred vision. The vitreous is also removed if it is pulling or tugging the retina from its normal position.
For more information on the surgeon in Florida, please click on my satire and theology link below:http://satireandtheology.blogspot.com/2007/08/thekingpin68-in-florida.html
Very interesting stuff. Especially since my eye doctor said floaters can never be fixed.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sherry.
ReplyDeleteLarge clumps can be destroyed by the laser that Dr. Geller uses. He stated that there is not residue from his laser strikes and therefore I deduce that my smaller floaters are ones that were already in my visual axis and ones that have moved from the periphery.
Russ:)
Hi Russ.
ReplyDeleteYeah amazing stuff. My son is an orthoptist and I asked him about floaters and he also said that they cannot be fixed. He was more concerned about what caused them in the first place. So amazing technology is developing all the time. As I have said before and I'll say it again, "the marvels of modern science." There are some gifted and talented people around. Russell.
Yes, I would be concerned if there is an unknown and medically dangerous reason why floaters exist, but all the ophthalmologists I have spoken to say they are harmless. Sadly, some ophthalmologists often underestimate the psychological bother that floaters cause and the interference with vision that they bring. I can state that dealing with a large clump is very bothersome, and dealing with many. many smaller floaters as I am now, is almost as bothersome.
ReplyDeleteThe Fort Myers surgery fulfilled its purpose, but I was hoping that most of the floaters could be destroyed by laser and not just the large clump. For this reason, I will in the future very likely look at receiving a vitrectomy. A cataract is a likely result of this procedure, but with a -23 right eye I am not trying to protect 20 vision or anywhere close. The fact is Russell, at this point I am typing this note to you while looking 'through' more floaters than I can see to count. It is 'snowing' floaters. Therefore, getting rid of these floaters is worth it even with having to having vitrectomy and cataract operations. Dr. Geller has asked that I wait two months to see if things clear up, and I shall.
Cheers, Russell.
I'm glad you had some positive results with Dr Geller. I went earlier this year 3 times, and after all is said and done, I am rather disappointed. I had no clumps, but thick strands running across my vision. I can say that his procedure doesn't work for what I had. He would cut the strands, which would clump together. After the first 2 visits, I ended up with one terrible clump right in the middle of my vision. I finally decided to fly from Seattle back to Ft Meyers in hopes that he could get rid of the clump that he created, and I was VERY fortunate that he could do that. Now, since he cut many strands, what is left moves alot more, which is worse than my original situation. A vitrectomy is in my future, hopefully next year.
ReplyDeleteHello Randy.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments.
He would cut the strands, which would clump together.
I have heard of this happening, and it must be frustrating. Randy, I hope your situation improves, and I would really be interested in reading how your vitrectomy works out. I am glad that the clump in the middle of your vision is gone. I found that the clump in my eye moved me to irritation and mild depression. As I have noted, I will likely pursue a vitrectomy in 2008 as well. I will post related information. My right eye is 'snowing' floaters presently. Since I have -23 vision in the right eye, one of my surgeons suggested that I could have my lens removed to avoid the cataract surgery. Another surgeon suggested I would have difficulty with focus without the lens, and yet another surgeon suggested that the vision would be better, but may be distracting.
Russ
Hi Russ.
ReplyDeleteWe are already in 2008 and wanted to know if you went for the vitrectomy procedure after all.
Best Regards,
Marc.
Hi Marc.
ReplyDeleteAfter discussion with opthamologists I decided not to get the vitrectomy.
There is significant improvement without the large clump, but there is still a rather annoying floater in my central vision in that eye that either Dr. Geller could not see or would not laser as it was too close to the retina. I have smaller floaters in both eyes, but the myopic eye has many more.
In my view, floater treatment is an aspect of Ophthalmology that is missing the mark. Opthamologists and MDs usually treat large floaters the same as small floaters. That is somewhat philosophically like treating large cuts that need stitches, like little tiny cuts.
A vitrectomy is too risky for me with my eye as it is myopic and I do not want to take the significant (5-15%) risk of something going wrong with surgery as well as the good possibility of a cataract resulting from the vitrectomy. Once there is cataract surgery, there is also significant risk with the lens replacement surgery with a myopic eye.
My hope is that there is some sort of treatment SOON that can force floaters beneath the sight line or shrink them very much. One opthamologist stated I will not notice my floaters ten years from now and I hope he is correct. Thanks.
Russ:)
Most spots and floaters in the eye are harmless and merely annoying. Many will fade over time and become less bothersome. People sometimes are interested in surgery to remove floaters, but doctors are willing to perform such surgery only in rare instances.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the professional advice.
ReplyDeleteMy floaters have not faded or gone away over the last three years, other than when I went to Fort Myers, Florida to have the large floater in my one eye disrupted. I plan to try this again with another opthamologist in California in the future. I reason a vitrectomy is too risky with my amblyopic, myopic eye.