Enzymatic Vitrectomy

  Dear Doc:
    As you know there are many people suffering from vitreous floaters and many of those people are seeking a safe cure.  Many have opted for the risky procedure of a vitrectomy to clear their vision. There are also several Doctors in the U.S. using YAG laser to treat floaters, but with varying successs.
    It appears there are several new products in the pipeline, including Vitrase that clears up the vitreous enzymatically.  It maybe the wonder drug that many floater sufferers are seeking.  I realize that many opthamalogists dismiss floaters as just an annoyance and have much more serious vision problems to tackle.  However, it is imperative that doctors begin to recognize the impact that floaters have on many peoples lives. There are several web sites devoted solely to "floaters".  Many of the people posting messages in these floater sites are desperate.  They are not just new floater sufferers, but many veteran floater sufferers as well. So it is not a problem that dissipates with time, but actually worsens.  
   If so many floater sufferers are opting for extreme measures to clear their vitreous, then don't you feel it is necessary to help these people? Rather than have them risk surgical vitrectomies, it seems to me that enzymatic vitrectomies would be a safer alternative.  It should liquify the vitreous and allow the floaters to drop to the bottom. Thank you.      

[HFHS MD JL]

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Thank you for your insights.  I agree that floaters can be very aggravating to people and a safe and effecctive solution would be welcomed.  I do not have personal experience with Vitrase and I do not think out department is using it as well.  I am not sure if this is commercially available at this time but I will look into this.  I is also important to know what the accepted indications for usage are.  As you described, it would not be good enough to liquify the vitreous and let the floaters sink to the bottom but the floaters would need to be dissolved as well.  As the eye is constantly moving, the floaters would not remain at the bottom of the eye.  Ideally, this drug would dissolve the hyaluronic acid which is what the solid part of the vitreous is composed of.  Thank you again for your comments.
This information was provided for medical educational purposes only.
HFHS M.D.-JL