Among Friends

[blrc]

 I had severe floaters. I had floater surgery in my left eye. All went well until six weeks later when my retina detached. I had emergency surgery that night. The doc inserted an air bubble and I had to lie prone for twenty hours a day for a week. The retina detached two more times in the following three months. Same procedure. After the third detachment, he inserted silicone oil in the eye. I have virtually no vision in that eye now. I am looking at the world through what looks like a layer of motor oil. I have been like this for 3 1/2  years. Sine then, I have also had cataract surgery in the left eye because the eye drops I have to use accelerate cataract growth.  Now the doc is watching the pressure in the eye as it has become unstable. I don't know what the future holds. Sigh...

[Texasmouse]

@blrc

I'm so sorry this happened to you.

I had a routine eye exam and mentioned to the opthalmologist that I had floaters that were annoying to me. He took a picture of my eyes and showed me the image on the computer that looked 3-D. It showed hundreds of little floaters and to me, it looked like a constellation in a night sky! I asked him about having that procedure to get rid of them and he said he'd have his receptionist call me when they scheduled it.

I went home and did a little more research and one of the dangers that kept coming up was the possibility of retinal detachment. I got on YouTube and searched videos of people's experiences with the procedure. I found one of a man who had had it done and he was very thorough in chronicling his experience. Halfway through the video, I had to stop watching and go lie down as it was making me woozy.

I had seen and read enough to discourage me so I called and told my ophthalmologist's office that I had changed my mind.

That was seven years ago. I still have the floaters and they're still very annoying but I just don't want to take that chance. I was going to have both eyes done as I have many floaters in both eyes.  Lord knows I might not have my sight if I had gone through with it.

I wonder what the success rate is for this surgery.

[viva923]

i have had those pesky things for years. The first time i got them, i thought i was seeing spots on my clean clothes. I thought i was going bonkers. My eye checks yearly they look for any changes to my eyes and so far all is good.

some of those floaters seem like giant spots others, are very minor.

[Mominohio]

Haven't read the replies, but I have had them in a very mild form for many years. They tended to be noticeable only during very bright light, like being outside, and looking at a white wall in the sunshine.

Then last year, they really came on strong, along with flashes of light in the periphery of my vision.  After a good exam and no retina problem, I was told this was just going to be something to be dealt with.

The floaters have subsided back to my original level...for now anyway. The flashing has calmed down too.

I was given no ideas of anything to do for them, and others I know that deal with them say they kind of come an go in intensity for them as well.

[INDIANA BONES]

I am sorry to hear you are now having floaters but delighted to know you have been to a specialist and are certain nothing major is wrong.  Have had them for so many years I truly do not remember.  I know stress will make me notice mine more and when I was younger would actually prevent me from driving a car (safely) and I would miss college classes.   Have grown used to them after all these years and rarely do they bother me.  What freaks me out is when it seems as if they start on one side of the eye and continue to the other and vanish.  I also have flashing lights at times similar to a disco light of the 80's.   This is my form of a silent migrane.  Hoping your floaters do not scare or distract you after you get used to the fact you will be ok.  Just continue your eye exams and you can still see to buy items. 

[MsLomo]

I have a lot of floaters all the time. My eye doctor always comments on them during my annual exams. The amusing part (well, kind of) is that I frequently swat at "flying bugs" that turn out not to be real.