Do you have a question you’d like to ask?
If you are comfortable, please ask your question down below. I’ll answer as soon as I can.
Your question is probably shared by others and, in this way, we can share the answers.
Some questions may be copied from direct emails I receive and thus names have been deleted.
All the best!
Randy
Good morning.
I’m still considering getting a virectomy. When you examine potential patients do you know if some people are better candidates than others? How much lead time is involved between when I decide to have it done, and when the actual surgery is? Thanks Doctor.
“TC”
Dear TC,
Thanks for your email.
I do feel that certain patients are better candidates than others. For instance, it is easier to remove more vitreous in a patient who has had a PVD.
Other patients may not have realistic expectations from the surgery and expect guaranteed results.
Also, in most cases, patients do well if there is no evidence of eye disease causing the floaters.
We are usually able to schedule surgery within a few weeks time.
Hope this helps!
Randy
I am a very healthy 52 yr old considering a vitrectomy. Diagnosed with bilateral floaters, posterior vitreous degeneration, vitreous opacities, & retinoschisis. Floaters are annoying but the flashing from traction/pulling where still attached is what bothers me most. Could I be a candidate for surgery? Would you induce a full pvd then do fov? Last (but huge!) concern….anesthesia (not just being sleepy or given some valium) is the ONLY way I would consider surgery (I’d need the valium just to get me to the surgical center, lol – BIG baby). Does insurance usually cover that?
Thanks for your valuable time!
PC,
I’d have to examine you, but you indeed might be a candidate for vitrectomy. Sounds like you already have a PVD and wouldn’t need to induce a PVD. We can discuss your anesthesia options – usually not a problem. Check with your particular insurance or email Chrissy (rwongcm13@gmail.com) if you need more information.
All the best,
Randy
Hello! I am 58 and had cataract surgery aprox. 3.5 years ago, Dr. Marc Sanders @ Univ. of Houston. Crystalens in both. Followed up with a Yag aprox 2 years ago. Floaters! Called and emailed for help to no avail. So sad!
I am a former English teacher…avid reader!,Master Naturalist…love love love the outdoors, jogger, hiker, and travel alot. No known eye probs other than was a Flonase user for years and had early cataracts. Never wore glasses.
One eye seems worse than the other with a large floater, and smaller stuff. Any hope for me? I am so heartbroken about this..Thank you
J Wilson
Jeannie,
So sorry for the long delay. I get a little disorganized with emails and questions located in so many places. I’m sure I can help.
I am hosting a webinar on 12/20. Hope you can join and listen to others’ stories and ask some questions.
You can Register Here!
Hope you can make it!
All the best. Look forward to meeting you.
Randy
Dr. Wong,
I had a Vitrectomy three weeks ago [right eye] to repair torn/detached retina. (not sure which). This was because the original pneumatic retinopexy fixed the original problem, but did not prevent new tears, which occurred. Right now I can see light, shapes, colors, and movement, but no detail. A couple of questions: 1) Does the saline my body produces, replace the gas bubble (perfluropropane, i think; 6-8 weeks to dissolve) at the same rate that the bubble dissolves? [curiosity question]. 2) Will there ever be a time where the C3F8 is gone, but there is not enough saline to fill the cavity, and will that affect my site? 3) When I had the first procedure, i went from no vision (before), to mostly vision[immediately], except for black spot (bubble) which got smaller; will a similar thing happen, at some point, where I can start to see, before the bubble is totally gone? at about 50% gone? I will see my doctor in a week, and I can ask him these questions, but waiting 7 more days is about to make me crazy. Thank you so much for your time or if there is a URL that explains the post-surgery recovery, that would be very helpful.
John,
Sorry, I goofed. By now, the gas should have resolved and hopefully you’ve remained attached. I apologize in the long delay, it’s hard to keep up with all queries on different platforms. I’m hopeful to start a forum soon, that’ll be a more centralized place to keep questions.
All the best,
Randy
Dear Dr. Wong. I am 39 year old man. I have normal eyes, but with floaters. Which increased much in quantity about 1.5 years ago. I have no PVD. During last year I had about 10 procedures of laser vitreolysis which removed many visible floaters. Now I have about 10 floaters in both eyes which are bothering me. 3-4 are placed close to retina. Others ones are on periferal area and flying to visible zone when eyes are moving. Laser specialist can not remove these floaters due to theirs specific position laser. But he see them well and identify. My question is about possibility of removing only these visible floaters from eye with keeping of vitreois gel and without producing PVD. My willing is only for making procedure safer for my eyes, for minimysing of possible risks caused oby removing of whole vitreous gel.
Thank you much for your attention.
Mars.
Mars,
I usually prefer to induce a PVD, but we can discuss at the time of any eventual visit.
Join us for an upcoming webinar? Here’s the link to register.
All the best,
Randy
Hello Dr. Wong,
Diagnosed with a PVD in my right eye 4 weeks ago by opthamologist. One large annoying dark floater which continues to exhibit more movement seemingly on a daily basis. How long should I wait to consider FOV ?
I’d wait a few months? Depends upon your own tolerance, but I think several months is wise.
Randy
Thank you ! I can wait that long
Hi Dr Wong
Do you typically remove the vitreous right behind the lense? Are there usually floaters in that portion of the vitreous? Does leaving some vitreous there lessen the chance of cataracts?
Are there natural benefits of the vitreous one gives up when replacing the vitreous with a saline solution?
I have floaters in both eyes. What minimum length of time do you recommend between victrectomys if I were to elect to have it done in both eyes?
Thanks.
I typically do probably leave some vitreous on the back of the lens. I don’t know if others are right about it influencing cataract formation or not. In my opinion, it’s pretty hard to remove all the vitreous off the back of the lens.
The vitreous really has no function once we are born. It is an important factor during our development, but once we are born really no particular proven function…other than plugging severe cuts into the eye.
Hope this helps! Thanks for commenting.
-Randy
I have floaters in both eyes. What minimum length of time do you recommend between victrectomys if I were to elect to have it done in both eyes?
Phill,
I prefer to wait several month between eyes.
Thanks!
Randy
Our next webinar is this Monday 10/30. Register here.
Dear Dr. Wong
I had a vitrectomy to remove a large number of floaters about 3 years ago. Until recently all has been well with the eye except for the occasional small non bothersome
spot. Now I have 4-5 large floaters that are new and just appeared. Is it normal for new
floaters to appear so long after surgery? I had the eye checked and was told the retina is fine. I am planning on a second procedure to resolve these but I am confused as to where they came from. I assume it is a result of residual vitreous left over after the surgery.
Ryan,
Sorry for the ridiculous delay.
The floaters may be from leftover vitreous which was not removed.
Hope you are well.
Randy
Can floaters cause glare and starbursts. I see starburst at night from oncoming car headlights and during the day from the sun’s reflection of shiny services. Been to may eye docs and none have helped. Normal HOAs, etc…
In general, floaters can cause glare and starbursts. I’d have to examine you to say for sure, but I have had patients who have had similar complaints.
Our next webinar is this Monday 10/30. Register here.
All the best,
Randy
Dear Dr. Wang
1. Do you use 27g for FOV?
2. For me, I just have 2 floaters. Can I get the surgery witch is only take the floaters out but no injection bass+ (someone told me that is 27g plus)
Thanks
Mr. Wu,
I do NOT use 27g. Not sure it’s better than 25 gauge. You might consider FOV regardless of the number of floaters, but I don’t understand “injection bass+.”
Thanks for visiting and commenting!
All the best,
Randy
Dear Me. Wong,
I am 31 years old and I have had a vitrectomy on my right eye to remove a huge cloud of floaters. It was pvd induced, but I still have several very distinct and bothering black cells floating around that I see all the time, of which I am sure is vitreous. My current surgeon says he does not want to try and flush out the residual cells. Do you think a second vitrectomy has slighly less risk because the vitreous is already removed from the retina and that a second surgery might help?
Thanks,
Remy
Remy,
Sorry for the delay. I really can’t say whether a second operation would be helpful, but in my experience, if whatever residual floaters you see are still moving back and forth – very likely surgery could be helpful.
r
I am a young floater sufferer – I turn 30 in a few weeks. I am told by some that considering a vitrectomy would be insane for someone my age, especially a PVD-induced vitrectomy, which is the only kind I’d pursue. I’m curious what your thoughts are on younger (under 50) sufferers. Is it really automatically unwise to consider this procedure given our age?
Lynn,
Sorry for the lengthy delay. I’ve done many, many vitrectomies (FOV) for patients younger than 30…so I can’t say I’m a fair person to ask considering my experience with young patients. r