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Wondering if anyone has had an FOV, Floaters Only Vitrectomy
I am wondering if anyone has had an FOV, Floaters Only Vitrectomy, and would be willing to share their experiences. For at least two years I was plagued with the constant irritating presence of gauzy, wispy, moving clumps that would obscure my vision and make reading and driving a tiring challenge. Prior to this I had had cataract surgery and a lens exchange surgery. Many, many follow up appointments and a second opinion did not pinpoint a reason for my continuing complaints. Although I did not complain of dry eyes, I was led to believe that was my issue and was treated with Xiidra and then Restasis and then even both at the same time, with no improvement in my symptoms. Finally a follow up appointment with a new ophthalmologist in the practice and my description of what I was seeing led to a diagnosis of a degenerating vitreous and a referral to a vitreal surgeon. Last week I had a vitrectomy to remove the vitreous. Despite the after effects of the surgery, the next day when the eye patch and bandages came off, I could immediately tell that my vision in that eye had cleared. It has been such a relief! I am hoping my recovery is uneventful and am now anticipating following up with the surgeon to schedule the procedure on my other eye. Has anyone experienced a situation similar to mine? Why would my problem not be recognized and diagnosed sooner? I have wondered if I simply was not able to describe my symptoms well enough or if ophthalmologists tend not to recognize or acknowledge how debilitating the condition can be. I understand that over time and with age the vitreous does degenerate for all people. Do only a few people experience what I did during that process or are there many people experiencing it’s deleterious effects on their vision and are just living with it, or as in my case, are not able to get a diagnosis from their eye care providers? I should add that I am in my early 70s and was extremely nearsighted my entire life. Anyone out there experience what I did?
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Which retinal surgeon did Dr. Sebag recommend to you? I'm in PA, too, and looking for a surgeon for a FOV. Thank you!
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1 ReactionHe recommended Dr. Thierry Verstraeten who is based in Pittsburgh and has an office in Washington, PA, where I live. Sebag and Verstraeten were colleagues awhile back. Dr Verstraeten did both of my FOVs and I’ve documented my results in this thread. Good luck! 🍀
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2 ReactionsDoes anyone have recent articles on vitrectomy for floaters in medical journals like Retina Today, etc? If so, can you please share?
So glad your surgery helped you. Perseverance is the key to your wonderful outcome. God Bless.
I also have met macular along with the symptoms you describe. Might be time for me to find a new
Doctor also. Thank you for sharing
I live in the Netherlands and I think I know the best eye surgeon for removing floaters only! My 2 eyes had massive floaters after catharact surgery! I went crazy. I saw elephants clouds you name it. Al grey and like shadows. It was horrendous. Dr Eric Lindstedt is really the most relaxed doctor for you all to do that surgery. Local anesthesia and within 20 minutes all the horrible vitreous was disappeared!! At the end he puts antibiotic so no chance for endophtalmitis . Wonderful. Don’ t hesitate. It will be one of the happiest days when you realize all the garbage has gone!
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1 ReactionDear Susan,
I really like your experience and I am happy that everything was ok with your procedure. How are you now? is everything ok with your vision?
I am a 28 year old (non-american), I am in perfect health but being myopic it's been a few years that I struggle with vitreum floaters. In very busy times, I forgot about them and my life seems perfect. In other moments or when there is a lot of light, I see them a lot and they really disturb my vision.
I am researching about doing a vitreum operation in the U.S. to solve my problem. May I ask you where you undergone the operation? Please, I am very interested.
Thank you very very much
Dear Anita, how are you? Can I ask you how I can contact Dr Landtstedt? His webpage is completely in dutch, and I only speak english. Thank you very much!
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1 ReactionMy eye doctor said I had high pressure in my eyes. He did an iridotomy. After that my eye doctor said I am also a candidate for cataract surgery. I was 61 at the time. After the cataract surgery, I started seeing little spots and then it became worse and worse and worse and now I have a lot of floaters spiders, bacteria looking things but yet I have 2020 vision.
I am contemplating a vitrectomy, but I am very scared, can anyone tell me if they had any negative outcomes from the vitrectomy. I am also nervous about the healing process. I read a lot of things that said something about a gas bubble that you have to keep your head a certain way for two weeks. Any feedback would be wonderful thank.
Can anybody tell me what a vitrectomy, mechanical pars plana approach means?
Can you please tell me what the difference is between FOV Vitrectomy or a regular vitrectomy? Do they both remove the vitreous fluid?