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Wondering if anyone has had an FOV, Floaters Only Vitrectomy
Eye Conditions | Last Active: Sep 29, 2023 | Replies (170)Comment receiving replies
Hi, I’ve been on this thread for a number of months researching and considering my Floaters Only Vitrectomy. I had the procedure done on 12/3/20 and am, initially, pleased with the results and hoping for further improvement in 2021.
Eye floaters are specs, circles, “threads”, blobs..any number of various shapes and sizes (as you mentioned, others have described in this discussion group). As I understand, they are made up of collagen, protein or pieces of the vitreous membrane or other membranes that get stuck in your vitreous humor and obstruct the free-flow of light to your retina. This “debris” stuck within your vitreous humor causes varying degrees of obstruction to your vision and, thereby, has varying effects on quality of vision.
As I, previously, described, I put up with tons of floaters in each eye for most of my life until this year. After my December 2019 cataract surgery and placement of IOL, I got a new floater (or group of floaters) that I’d describe as follows: a wide area of 50-100 small, grouped circles that passed through my main vision field consistently. My retinal surgeon called it a “veil-type” floater(s). Driving got very challenging as the “veil” would go to the left, then right through my main focal point of vision. Surgeon described it as “like a windshield wiper.” It caused me visual confusion and got scary. After reading a lot of this group’s experiences and researching, I decided that my problem lessened my quality of life enough AND the surgery was low enough risk that I’d have it done. Ok, enough on that.
You can look up Floaters and Flashes Animations at various Youtube sites online to see very good representations of what they look like to those afflicted with them. I don’t know how they replicate these animations, but they are very realistic. Sum: Most people have eye floaters, especially when you get to be over 60 years old. Anyone with the problem just has to decide if the floaters are a significant factor in vision degradation and quality of their life in considering sticking with status quo versus getting surgery.
Good luck, Bob
Replies to "Hi, I’ve been on this thread for a number of months researching and considering my Floaters..."
Hi All, Not sure I’m doing this correctly, but I’m replying here to my own post on January 1, 2021 to continue a journal of my recovery from FOV surgery of 12/3/20.
Update as of today, 2/16/21: Ok, I’m 2 1/2 months out from my surgery and my sight in the operated eye is very similar to what it was just after surgery. I continue to have 5+ smaller floaters but the most the predominant are “spec-size.” They do fly into my field of vision regularly, but can be ignored pretty easily. The key point is that these remaining floaters are NOTHING LIKE my pre-FOV “flag-like”obstruction (my surgeon called it a large “veil” floater). Right now, I rate the success of my surgery at about a 7.5 out of 10. If there were NO floaters remaining, I’d probably rate it a 9 or 10. By the way, the surgeon, as recently as 2 weeks ago, still is saying that he expects the remaining floaters to “settle” so that I end up with -0- I’m not confident that will happen, but I will, surely, let all know if it does.
Other left eye problems: Ever since I had cataract surgery in December 2019, I have “light streaks” when looking at a light either peripherally or upward. I believe it is a positive dysphotopsia that, may well have been caused by the use of square-edged IOL (interocular lens) used in that cataract surgery. I’m dealing with it as the only, possible, remedy for this problem would be replacement of IOL!
A couple other of MY notes/observations:
- local optometrists, generally, don’t seem to be in favor of FOVs (Floaters Only Vitrectomys). However, my Vitreoretinal surgeon told me he’s done hundreds and has been doing, as many as, 1-2 per week recently.
- Check out Dr Jerry Sebag of VMR Institute online for discussion of FOV diagnostic tools and considerations.
- Eye doctors (ophthalmologists and optometrists) do not seem inclined to educate me on my eye problems. Much-used terms I found and researched on-line for the eye anatomy and for eye conditions I have (like “dysphotopsia” - I mentioned above) were not used by my doctors until I asked about them.
All the above are only MY experiences and some opinions, for what they are worth. Hope they are of help to some of you!
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Thanks Bob for your input. I'll check out the YouTube videos that you mentioned.
After I wrote that I'm an artist and considered attempting to create ( from my own experiences ) what I've seen for year as well as what I see now.
After writing that I did a search and found a number of what looked like photograph again a blue sky and one in particular generally looked like what I've seen from my childhood. I just got an iPhone after using android since my first smartphone so I haven't figure out how to save it and perhaps post it here..
That said I think that I have a combination of problems. The posts from a couple of days ago were typed with no glasses.my vision was near perfect. Yesterday was a mess. I went to the patch which I discovered helps when the blurry/double vision happens.
I know I wasn't clear about some of what's been going on and Susan asked some specific question which ill attempt to explain next. I really appreciate your story and feedback. I'm excited about seeing the. Videos.