Hi Everyone,

This is an update on my situation. Just after I arrived home from speaking at the Florida Lactation Consultant Association Annual conference the vitreous in my left eye became detached and let loose a big piece of tissue that was obscuring vision in that eye (it looked like a big black worm).

After visits to several ophthalmologists who told me nothing could be done, I visited Dr. Chaim Edelstein in Montreal who informed me that there was a procedure available in the US that uses laser to disintegrate vitreous floaters. There are two doctors who perform this type of treatment and one of them taught the other so I decided to visit the ?teacher? last week in Ft. Myers, Florida.

Dr. Scott Geller has performed this type of laser surgery for over 4000 patients with impressive success. http://www.vitreousfloaters.com/ Here is the YouTube video of the procedure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw0B2Ly8PFM

Following 4 sessions with Dr. Geller, the vision in my eye has been restored and I am back to my normal activities. The surgery is done with the patient sitting upright and the eye anesthetized and the pupil dilated (using drops, not needles). Dr. Geller instructs the patient to look at a yellow light while he inserts a lens into the affected eye to control the movement, jiggles the eye a little to bring the floater in view and then he uses a Yag laser with two converging beams to vaporize the floater. If the beams miss the target they dissipate. The retina is not affected because the focal point of the laser is in the center of the vitreous fluid within the eye. The patient feels the sensation of tapping on the head as the laser fires but there is no pain during the procedure.

Afterwards, the cornea aches for about 4 hours and is managed with over-the-counter analgesics such as Advil or Tylenol together with prescription drops that Dr. Geller prescribes. Most floaters can be eliminated within 3-4 sessions but if more is needed, Dr. Geller offers follow-up treatment at a reduced fee within 30 days.

For me the procedure was a miracle. Dr. Geller and his staff are wonderful and I?m looking forward to my follow-up with him next week to check my eye and take care of any residual remnants from that huge thing that was in my eye. Wow I?m glad it?s gone!

Best, Lenore