I have numerous floaters in both eyes. I have an annual eye checkup because I have severe myopia, and have been told that floaters are harmless. However, I find the floaters bothersome. Can LASIK surgery help?

C.

Floaters are opaque areas in the eye's vitreous gel that almost everyone gets at some point in his or her life. Laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is a surgical procedure in which a laser is used to change the curvature of the cornea, reducing or eliminating the need for contact lenses or glasses. LASIK is an excellent surgery for correcting myopia, but would have no effect on the presence of floaters.

That said, it is very important that someone undergo a complete eye exam by an ophthalmologist when floaters first appear because there is an association between the onset of floaters and retinal holes. Other warning signs for retinal holes include "flashes of light" and visual-field loss. If a retinal hole or detachment is present, laser therapy or surgery can usually treat the problem successfully. However, surgical removal of floaters is not recommended because the procedure can lead to cataracts, as well as infections and other complications. While floaters do not go away by themselves, often the brain learns to gradually adjust to them and they seldom cause serious visual impairment.