Floaters Only Vitrectomy (FoV) - Procedure, Risks, Recovery and Alternatives

Basic Floaters Only Vitrectomy Procedure

This procedure usually takes 1 to 2 hours if there are no complications.

1. Patient is anesthetized using general anesthesia.

2. The retinal surgeon places three incisions into the white area of the eye where he inserts three instruments: 1) A fluid infusion to prevent the eye from collapsing, 2) A fiber optic light probe, and 3) A guillotine cutting/sucking instrument (a vitrector) to cut the vitreous and remove all the vitreous material.

3. The surgeon replaces the removed vitreous with an electrolyte salt water solution similar in chemical composition to the vitreous.

4. Recovery period starts (more information below).

Floaters Only Vitrectomy Risks

This procedure carries a high level of risk. Among the possible complications include:

• Retinal detachment (rare, but very dangerous)
• Increased eye pressure (Similar to Glaucoma)
• Cataract formation (occurs in 50-61% of patients within a year)
• Wrinkling of retina
• Loss of depth perception, blurring of vision, double vision, or blindness
• Swelling of layer under the retina (choroidal effusion)
• Bleeding inside or outside of eye
• Infections
• Swelling of the center of retina
• Loss of night vision or distorted vision (most common in older patients)
• Additional treatments to cure complications

Although most of these conditions are very rare to occur as a direct cause of a vitrectomy, they are a possibility that should be taken into account. Retinal detachment occurs in 1% of the surgeries which is a seemingly small risk. However, vitrectomy's greatest risk is the development of cataracts which occurs in 50-61% of patients within a year. Although losing an eye is possible in this surgery, the risk is too small to be considered.

Recovery From Eye Floaters Only Vitrectomy

Recovery from surgery usually takes about a month. The patient is given several eye drop to apply at different times of the day. Extreme care must be taken to not allow any eye injuries. The first few days the patient will experience blurred vision that will become clearer over time. There will be some pain that will gradually decline in intensity.

Exercise can be usually resumed within a few weeks as it doesn't have any significant impact on the development of other eye complications. A very healthy diet should be incorporated as to speed the eye's natural healing process. (see lifestyle).

Vitrectomy Alternatives

The other surgical alternative to vitrectomy is the Laser Treatment. However, we don't really recommend surgical methods to eliminate eye floaters, they carry too much risk. Instead, we recommend the Eye Floaters Solution which doesn't carry any risk and has helped people from all around the world have better eyesight.