Clear Vision Study

Randomized Trial of Laser Ablation for Highly Symptomatic Floaters

Vitreous floaters are tiny, cloudy, clumps of cells that appear in the otherwise clear fluid (vitreous) that fills the back 3/4 of the eye. Floaters are commonly caused by eye conditions such as posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), vitreous syneresis and asteroid hyalosis. While these symptoms are considered physiological in nature, they can be of considerable inconvenience to many patients which affect essential activities. The investigators wish to assess the safety and efficacy of floater treatment in patients with highly symptomatic floaters using an FDA approved nanosecond infrared yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) lasers.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Have been diagnosed with symptomatic floaters lasting more than 2 months
• Willing to proceed with intervention
• Be able to provide informed consent
• Diagnosed with Posterior Vitreous Detachment
• Accept a 1% risk of complications

Exclusion Criteria:

• Less than 19 years of age
• Is a high myope (greater than -6 diopters)
• Has monocular vision
• Diagnosed with asteroid hyalosis
• Diagnosed with acute on-set of floaters (less than two months and may clear spontaneously)
• Has corneal or lenticular opacities or any media opacity which may interfere with treatment
• Has any concomitant ocular disease or pathology
• Has elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) or on IOP lowering medication
• Has floaters that are deemed to require more than five treatment sessions, where surgical intervention is the best treatment course
• Has floaters inaccessible with current lasers and lenses
• Has floaters located less than 2mm from the crystalline lens or the retina
• Found to have retinal tears or retinal detachment on initial examination or has had a history of retinal detachment repair within the last two years
• Has psychiatric problems that may recur or worsen
• Incapacity to provide informed consent