Laser Treatment Reduces Eye Floaters

Wednesday, July 26 2017 | 00 h 00 min | Vision Science

Floaters can impact vision quality, and often get worse as we age. Treatment options are limited to surgery, patient observation and education, and laser treatment. A new study published in JAMA Ophthalmology aims at evaluating the effectiveness and safety of laser treatment at reducing floater symptoms.

The treatment is known as YAG laser vitreolysis, which uses nano-second laser pulses to vapourize the opaque vitreous strands that are perceived as “floaters” in our vision.

The study, conducted by the Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston, divided 52 patients into two groups, one which received YAG laser treatment, the other group acting as a control receiving sham treatment.

After six months, 54% of the group receiving the treatment reported “significant or complete” improvement in floater-related disturbances, while no patients in the control group reported significant improvement. No adverse effects were reported by either group, within the the short (six months) follow-up period.

Click here to read the complete article.