Real help for floaters

[mindi23]

Is there a good complete multi for vision that actually works? I have been getting more floaters in my eyes since cataract surgeries three years ago. Especially the right one which had yag laser done three months after the cataract surgery. My eye surgeon says my eyes are healthy with no retina problems. And yes I know floaters are harmless. But they sure mess with your quality of life with this many. I am an artist, crafts person, avid reader and most important a grandma. I'm sick of all this stuff in my eyes swirling around. Brightly lit stores and doctors offices make me nuts. Yes I know about the surgery. My doctor is very glib about it but my research finds it to be very risky and painful. The internet is full of "natural" cures and exercises, ect. I wouldn't mind going back on a good multi at my age (62). My main concern is the amount of vitamin A and carotene. I've read it's very toxic but most vision supplements provide a lot of it. I now take ocuvite 50+ but don't know if I'm being helped or not. I'm so confused and bogged down with information, options and scams. HELP!

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Staying busy, focused "out of your body" goes a long way to turning the mind's eye elsewhere than your vitreous cavity
JCH MD

[gkaooor]

Awesome - Thanks for the real life example.  How you deal with it

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[mindi23]

Thanks. I get what you're saying. When I'm busy or having fun with my granddaughter I don't notice them. And then (haha) you think "hey I haven't noticed my floaters". Oops! I've appreciated your time and input.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Lasers for floaters don't work well at all and the vitrectomy is way too much surgery with too much risk.

I lead a very busy life and when I'm busy I don't dwell on my floaters including the large Weiss ring in my RE.

JCH MD

[mindi23]

OK, I've been contemplating your last suggestion and doing more research. I did get on the anxiety/obc forums and no offense to anyone because we all have something; but there are some really strange problems going on there. Maybe I shouldn't have used the word obsessed but I certainly am one to look for answers, whether it be a new interest or hobby or ailment. Seems I am certainly not alone. I have found many people, so many of them very young, feeling suicidal about their floaters and most people depressed by them in some respect. However, in between spurts of research I get on with my life. This weekend my family and I are headed to Florida for two weeks in the sun. Strangely enough, I see most clearly in bright sunlight, but horribly in brightly lit stores and offices. Go figure.....Anyway, question.....since you are an eye Doc with floaters yourself have you tried FOV or laser and if not, why? There are a couple of Doctors in Florida who keep coming up in forums who do floaters only. (No where near my vacation spot by the way) At the risk of still sounding obsessed, how do you ignore yours?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Your best bet might be to work on your anxiety and obsessive traits.  Maybe wander over to anxiety/OBC psychiatric forums and consider seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist.


JCH MD

[mindi23]

Thanks for responding everyone. Floaters just aren't considered serious enough to get a  lot of responses like many other eye conditions that are truly devastating. After doing so much research on the eyes and seeing patients in waiting rooms with real problems I certainly understand that. While these floaters can be quite depressing I try to keep in mind that I CAN see!. I know there are worse conditions. I am going to try twinlab ocular plus and omegas...I feel these certainly cannot hurt me in any way and will probably be beneficial to my health in general. I have the philosophy of "if it can't hurt, why not try it". Also trying to "teach" my brain to see through or around or something. However, my brain tends to obsess on whatever isn't right. Stubborn brain! ha ha. Anyone heard of hypnosis working?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Yes and thanks for your help and comments Flossy93
JCH MD

[flossy93]

Thank you for the feedback regarding lasers for treating floaters, Dr. Hagan.

It makes sense to me that the laser therapy must not be very effective, or it would be used more widely (since so many people suffer from significant floaters).

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

I am familiar with using lasers to try and get rid of floaters.  I have several patients that have had that done without success. I have been at 3-4 meetings where it was discussed and not something that is very successful at all and not entirely risk free.

JCH MD

[flossy93]

You are wise to be careful of vitrectomy surgery for floaters.  It's a major surgery with significant potential for complications, which is why it's not offered if patients can cope with their floaters reasonably well.

I'm sorry to say I've never read about any supplement or vitamin that can prevent or reduce floaters.  The idea of protecting your macula/retina with Ocuvite or another lutein/xeanthin supplement is a good one though.

Right now there are a few (very few) doctors who offer laser treatment for floaters, to vaporize them or at least break them into smaller segments.  You can find these practices if you Google 'eye floaters solution' or something similar.  Some of the doctors' websites even have videos of the 'surgeon's eye view' of the floaters being lasered.  It takes a special type of laser to do this, it is not a YAG laser like the kind used for posterior capsulotomy.  Floaters that are very small and close to the macula (more common in younger patients) can't be treated this way.  

I don't know how safe or effective the laser treatments are for floaters, but on average it's probably safer than vitrectomy in terms of less chance for complications.  

There is also a study underway to evaluate whether a new drug developed for retinal-vitreous traction can be used to treat floaters, but no one knows yet.  

I'm sorry about the floaters bothering you but you're certainly not alone!

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Do you mean multivitamin? If so read this:

http://www.medhelp.org/eye-care/articles/Protect-Your-Sight-from-Macular-Degeneration/257

Floaters? multivitamin will not help. Go to Dr. Hagan's blog entries and read the several articles on how much floaters bother people. (they bother me to, for a long time, especially the Weiss Ring in my right eye).

JCH MD

[cristina1676]

Your brain will stop seeing them. Don't focus on them. I know it's hard. I have them after a retinal detachment. But eventually you'll ignore them. Wear dark sunglasses outside.