Eye Floater Treatment Rochester, NY
Also serving Victor area patients
What is a Floater?
Floaters are spots in your vision that may look to you like black or
gray specks, strings, or cobwebs that drift about when you move your
eyes and seem to disappear when you try to look at them directly.
Floaters occur when the vitreous gel in front of your retina changes
its consistency and begins to clump together which then floats in
front of your field of vision causing a shadow that we then perceive
as a floater.
Floaters are a very common occurrence with around 75% of people
experiencing symptoms of floaters at least once within their lifetime.
The occurrence of floaters become more common with age as your
vitreous gel changes. Floaters also occur more commonly in
individuals that are nearsighted, over the age of 40, and patients
recovering from eye surgery such as cataract surgery or YAG laser
capsulotomy.
When to Seek Treatment of Floaters
Most of the time, floaters dissipate on their own. However, if they are consistent and disrupting, Cornerstone Eye Associates is proud to offer Laser Floater Removal (LFR). Many occurrences of floaters are harmless, temporary, and go away on their own with no treatment. However, if you have been experiencing floaters regularly for 3 months or longer, that are affecting your daily tasks, or you are finding it is difficult to live with, treatment may be recommended. However, if you are experiencing more floaters than usual, a sudden onset of new floaters, flashes of light in the same eye as the floaters, or darkness in your peripheral vision, this could be an indication of a more serious condition like a retinal tear, and you should be seen by a doctor. Laser Floater Removal is a comfortable treatment that is performed in our state-of-the-art ASC. We numb your eye with drops then precisely and safely target each floater with a laser that will dissolve each one.
Laser Floater Removal (LFR)
Thanks to advancements in technology, Cornerstone Eye Associates is proud to offer “Laser vitreolysis”, or “Laser Floater Removal” (LFR). Performed at our state-of-the-art ophthalmology-specific surgery center, Cornerstone Surgery Center, with LFR doctors Steve Park, MD and Omar Hanuch, MD, FACS utilize YAG laser technology. The YAG laser will vaporize the floater into small gas bubbles that dissolve and resorb into the vitreous.
Up to around 80% of floaters can safely be treated with LFR. The procedure is safer and less invasive than alternative methods of treatment. LFR is quick and painless, completed utilizing anesthetic eye drops, with little to no recovery time. Depending on the medical necessity, most often LFR is covered by insurance.
Who is a Good Candidate for LFR?
You may be an ideal candidate if the following apply:
- You have floater symptoms that have persisted for at least 3 months
- Floaters affect your daily tasks such as driving, working on a computer, watching TV, etc.
- AND, you do not have a serious eye condition such as cataracts, retinal tears or detachments, or clouding of the cornea or lens that would impair visualization of the vitreous
Request An Appointment
If eye floaters are affecting your vision and
your life, schedule your appointment today!