Laser Floater Removal
Laser Floater Removal
Eye floaters are tiny spots or lines that move around your field of vision. Floaters are actually parts of the jelly-like vitreous particles within the eye. These are different from having gunk in your eyes that can be cleaned out. Instead, this phenomenon is occurring inside your eye. As your eyes age, the normal firm vitreous gel can begin to liquify or shrink, causing small fibers of protein to clump together and cast shadows on your vision.
Symptoms of Eye Floaters
Floaters can be grey or dark areas that can move in and out of your visual field:
- Spots
- Strings
- Cobwebs
- Rings
- Lines
While floaters aren’t typically harmful, they can be very annoying – especially when they routinely interfere with your line of sight.
NOTE: If you have a significant amount of eye floaters with flashes of light, this could signify that you have a detached retina which would be considered a medical emergency, requiring immediate treatment.
It’s important to schedule a dilated eye exam if you are experiencing floaters so your doctor can monitor your condition. If your floaters are becoming a nuisance to your daily life, our eye floater doctor in Reston, VA, can assess your condition and determine if laser treatment is warranted.
Risk Factors for Floaters
Your risk of developing eye floaters increases as you grow older (over age 50). Other conditions may also increase your risk:
- Nearsightedness
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Trauma to your eye
- Inflammation
- Eye surgery complications
- Eye disease
- Torn retina
- Eye tumors
Laser Floater Treatment (LFT) with Reflex™ Technology
This is a very efficient, effective and highly controlled treatment to reduce or even eliminate the presence of floaters in your vision. During treatment, the laser is focused precisely onto the floater. The laser creates plasma energy that evaporates the molecules of collagen and hyaluronic acid within the floater, converting them into a gas that is absorbed into the eye. Because this process is not delivered to living tissue, there is no inflammation as a result of the treatment. More than one session may be needed to achieve the best results.
YAG Laser Vitreolysis
Another method to treat eye floaters is with YAG laser vitreolysis. During this short, pain-free procedure, our doctors use laser energy to vaporize the floaters to minimize or eliminate the vision disturbance. You may experience temporary dark spots in your vision – these are not leftover floaters but small gas bubbles that will go away. Most patients can resume normal activities immediately. We may recommend anti-inflammatory eye drops to aid in the healing process.
If you are experiencing any symptoms of eye floaters in Reston, VA, contact us to schedule an eye exam.