What are the criteria for vitrectomy to remove floaters?
Persistent visual disturbance may indicate a need for a vitrectomy. The majority of patients with floaters do not need vitrectomies. If the doctor makes the patient aware of the problem but the patient does not notice any major visual difficulties, vitrectomy is definitely not indicated. If the problem significantly affects the patient’s ability to work, drive, read, see medicine labels, or other critical activities, vitrectomy should be considered. The doctor must make certain that there is no other cause of visual loss such as macular degeneration, macular hole, nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, epimacular membranes, cataract, amblyopia (“lazy eye”), previous retinal detachment, or circulatory problems.
