You expect to resume virtually all physical activity just after having an FOV (Floater Only Vitrectomy). This is true for almost all of my patients undergoing a vitrectomy for whatever reasons.
Bathing after Vitrectomy
Bathing is encouraged! There are usually concerns about shower or bath water entering the eye. My usual answer is to point out that your eyes, nose and mouth are all interconnected. This means your eye is naturally exposed to bacteria and may be no cleaner than your nose/mouth.
Tap water from the shower or bath is safe. Please keep clean!
FaceDown after FOV?
Vitrectomy to remove your floaters does not require gas or air at the end of the operation. I have heard from many of you about your concerns regarding face down positioning following your FOV, but I don’t routinely use gas at the end of routine vitrectomy.
Remember that vitrectomy is also performed for repair of retinal detachments and macular holes. These are situations where gas may be used. Again, no gas is required after FOV.
Therefore, head positioning is not required.
Physical Activity
You should be able to resume full activity withing 2-3 days following your vitrectomy. This would include exercising, yard work, picking up the kids/grandkids/pets and even running – as long as you are comfortable.
Weight lifting and general workouts are most likely okay, too. In my experience, most of my patients like to remain active after surgery.
Pushing and Rubbing Your Eye
My biggest concern following your FOV is that you not push directly on your eye. This could possibly cause hypotony. This is usually no longer a concern within about 48 hours after the operation.
Airline Travel
There is no concern with boarding an airplane after surgery. There questions about changes in altitude and the affects on the eye – these are only concerns if intraocular gas is used during the operation (see above).
Again, intraocular gas is not used following FOV so airline travel is quite safe.
Hi Dr. Wong,
I am a 23-year old male, and have had floaters for a year now. I am interested in FOV surgery, but am wondering if my age would affect the outcome of the operation; several vitrectomy studies I have read (with university access to literature) involve patients who are much older than I am.
Peter,
There really is not a “wrong” age for vitrectomy. Vitrectomy can be done for various reasons at any age. Risks and benefits of surgery are independent of your age.
Randy
Hello Dr Wong, I live in Iran and developed many floaters from six months ago on my right eye. Two big dark specks bother me a lot even in no light environments. I am slight myopic. Life with floaters is very difficult. Till now I visited many retinal specialists on my country but they all didn’t had any help for me. In the mean time it’s impossible for me to travel to america and only I wish if we have many retinal doctors like you around the world.
Thank you
Ali,
When the right time arrives, we’ll be here!
Randy
I was wondering if a FOV completely removes all floaters? On youtube, there is a gentleman who had the procedure done and removed (according to him) 90 % of them. I would think undergoing this procedure would eliminate 100% of them. Also, I see where a 27 gauge needle is being used. Is this even a safer alternative to the 25 gauge needle? Thank you
Mark,
I can’t speak for others or their doctors. I agree that, at least theoretically, 100% of floaters can be removed. Remember, the goal of surgery is reduce floaters without causing damage. There is no data to say that 27 gauge is safer, but based upon the design, smaller gauge and faster cutting rate…should be safer.
r
Hello,
I was extremely nearsighted and I have had a PVD in each eye. One was 24 hours after cataract surgery. A couple of months ago, I also had a retinal detachment that was not diagnosed correctly and I ended up having surgery nine days after the detachment. Fortunately the retinal surgery was successful and my peripheral vision returned. In the eye with the detachment, I have several floaters, one of which is pretty large. My retinal surgeon says that they will eventually go away.
Is this true or am I looking at another vitrectomy if I want to have clear vision with no floater?
Also, is it dangerous to have multiple vitrectomys in an eye?
Thanks,
John
John,
Sorry for the extreme delay.
Really can’t predict if the remaining floaters will remain. No one can. Wait and see. The eye can tolerate muliple vitrectomies.
Randy
Hi Dr Wong. my name is Jeanie and in October 2015 I had a vitrectomy for floaters. I’m writing this on Dec. 22. About 2 weeks later in the far outside corner of my eye I have been having flashes and I constantly see a cealing fan movement. That’s the only way I can describe it. It’s driving me crazy and my Dr. said he has never heard of it and doesn’t know what could be causing it. He said he thinks it will eventually go away. I was wondering if any of your patients have had a similar thing happen to them and what could be causing it? I hope you can respond. Its’ making me quite anxious and I hope something isn’t going to happen because of what ever this might be. Thank you for your response.
Jeanie,
My best guess is that you are young. Did you have a PVD induced? As long as your doctor has examined you and the retina is attached, no harm in waiting to see if it settles down. I wonder if you are able to see the vitreous skirt (leftover vitreous to the side)?
Hang in there.
Randy
What do you mean by PVD induced? And also, what would a vitreous skirt look like? When I’m outside I do see something in the lower outside corner of my eye like a thin line. I don’t know how else to describe it. I’ve wondered if that has something to do with the ceiling fan movement I’m still experiencing 5 months after my vitrectomy for floaters. The Dr. that did the surgery said there was no chance of ever getting a retinal tear or hole because the vitreous was removed, so I’m wondering what the flashes could be. Also, I had already had cataracts at the time of my surgery and now within the last few weeks my vision is a lot worse than the other eye. I went to my eye Dr. and she said the cataract in the surgery eye was a little more advanced than the other eye, but my vision has worsened a lot more within the last few weeks. She had to strengthen my prescription quite a bit more for that eye. That was 2 weeks ago and I can tell my vision has changed even more since the new prescription. She doesn’t think a cataract would change the vision that quickly, but from what I have read a vitrectomy can advance a cataract more quickly. It makes me anxious because no one knows what the movement I’m seeing in that eye is and I still get a lot of flashes. I just hope the visual changes are primarily due to the cataract and not due to the symptoms I’m experiencing because no one seems to know what it could be. Hope to hear from you soon. Thank you for replying to my last question.
I have been researching my symptoms and came across articles about macular puckers. Have you ever seen a person getting a macular pucker due to a vitrectomy for removal of floaters? Because I’m seeing a change in vision even more just since my new prescription in my glasses, it makes me concerned of that possibility. Like I said, I do have cataracts but according to my eye doctor you don’t have a change in vision that fast with cataracts.
I took the FOV with the cataract operations on my two eyes. One eye with old floaters removed , but new floaters created. The other eye with all floaters removed, but two month later more floaters appeared. One floater is in a circle shape that blocks my vision seriously. Is it possible for me to take further FOV to clear the floaters?
Chrisymng,
Yes. I am sorry you are disappointed. Repeating an FOV is possible. Did your original surgery involve a PVD?
All the best,
Randy
Hello mr Wong, I have had floaters and flashes for nearly 2 years and they most recently started to affect me to the point where I’m considering this vitreous surgery. I have had the yag lazer treatment with not much long term luck. What would you recommend doing in my situation? I am a 19 year old male.
Jon,
I can’t really advise you, but can educate you. Only you can determine if you need to be proactive to remove the floaters. If the laser was of no help, there aren’t many other choices. Your age is not an issue.
Randy
Hello Dr. Wong,
Three months ago I was diagnosed with Acute Retinal Necrosis (ARN) in my right eye and following a treatment regime of intravitreal antiviral injections, Prednisone, and Durazol, my visual acuity (VA) was 20/25. Approximately one week after the completion of injections (8 in total), my ophthalmologist performed a photocoagulation peripheral laser treatment (2x) due to a small pocket of fluid developing under the retina. A couple of days after the laser treatment I started seeing some small floaters, I went back to the doctor and they said it looks fine and nothing to worry about, it has been 3 weeks now and the floaters have become progressively worse to the point I can’t see out of my right eye, It looks like hazy clouds and its very frustrating because the doctors keep telling me that nothing is wrong with the eye. I am not sure what is causing it and why is it getting worse, since I didn’t have any floaters during my active ARN. The floaters are very annoying and I am not able to read or see out of this eye so I am interested in learning more about vitrectomy. What are the risks, especially given that I am already at high risk for RD following ARN?I was last evaluated at 60% of my retina damaged by the ARN but confined to the peripheral. If I am a good candidate how soon would vitrectomy be advisable?
Olga
Olga,
I really can’t accurately answer you given your complications with ARN – I will say that you see extremely lucky. I would encourage you to seek the advice of your physician treating you for the ARN. Vitrectomy can be explored later.
Best of luck!
Randy
hi Doctor Wong I hope FOV price not so high..:'(
Park Eun Ri,
You can always contact Chrissy for help with costs, insurance and logistics.
By the way, I’m inviting you to an upcoming webinar
Randy
Dear sir,
I had floaters since last one year and my ophthalmologist can see the floaters and he advised to me live with it because i had cataract operation in my both eyes , my left eye operated while my age was only 3 month(3 month after my birth) and my right eye operated while my age was 11 year.
I have clear vision with only my left eye ,my right eye is very weak and same I had much problem of floaters in left eye so it is very difficult to see.i also feel unbareable pain in eye and head both .
I have both nearsighted and farsighted both in my both eyes so floaters is very irritating me and it is difficult to live me ,and my age is only 22 years old.so please help me sir…
..I request to you …please..
Can floaters cause any damage in my eye in future?there is lot of floaters I feel in my eye so,
is it sign of serious condition?
How can I recognize either floaters is nearer to retina and lenses or not?
In my good eye I feel much floaters and in weak eye it’s less so I am really bother.
With yag laser treatment can floaters completely remove?
And quantity of floaters affect the success rate of treatment?
Right now I am studying so it is required to read long time (8 to 9 hours) in day so is it damage my eye????
I feel multiple floaters
But sir I feel some time pain , sometime inflammation, weight full eye,streching in eye .is it due to floaters?
If I am reading long hour that will affect my eyes with floaters?
In future after 35 year may I prefer yag laser surgery to remove floaters?
Floaters causes headache?
Can I remove floaters with proper ingredients ? Because some time it becomes dark and sometimes become s light so what’s the reason?
Sir I can see only with my one eye and same I face floaters in it .my other eye is became lazy due to late operation for cataract in childhood.so may I improve my vision with patching therapy in my other eye? Because I read about this theory that will effective upto 80 age. Please guide me sir ……. It is live to me …….request to you……..
Jaypalsinh tank,
Wow! A bit lengthy.
Floaters – assuming not related to a disease such as uveitis – don’t cause damage. New floaters should be examined to look for a retinal tear.
No way to determine yourself where the floaters are located.
I don’t perform the Yag.
Studying is good and does not damage eyes or vision.
Patching is for children with amblyopia.
Best of luck
r
Thank you sir …..
I Want to ask you some questions
1. I have vision only in one eye with past cataract surgery and high myopia with floater ,so does my vision will goingn future.
2 . In future may I prefe fov
3. I have multiple floaters ,when I am trying to see upward side then all floaters gone upward after it will come downward like shower….is it dangerous?