Are floaters normal in post macular hole/vitrectomy surgery eye?

[Monica19815]

I am 12 weeks post surgery for macular hole/vitrectomy/IRM peeling.  I still have "blank" spaces in my sight but noticed a slight improvement Wednesday evening....enough to remark to my husband.  I woke up Thursday morning with what looked like a floater in that eye.  It was gone within an hour.  Today is Saturday and I have what looks like another floater....has only been there for 15 minutes or so.  I have had MANY floaters in my eyes for many years and this one seems to move around a lot more than my others ever did.  Is this common after surgery?  I have no flashes or any other symptoms.  I see my surgeon on Friday.  My hole was closed at my first scan at 3 weeks and the eye looked great at that time.

[JohnHaganMD]

Yes it is common. And because the vitreous is removed and replaced with a balanced salt solution floaters move faster when the gel is removed.

[Monica19815]

Thank you, Dr. Hagen.  This latest one is already gone!  

[xltjim]

Monica19815 - Its sounds like you are well on the road to recovery.  You will see floaters from time to time after the surgery.  I am a year from my latest vitrectomy and I see a few now and again and was concerned about it too.   Nowhere near the amount I had prior to surgery, these are like little black or clear dots.  Maybe 3 or 4 which come and go.  One has a small tail on it and only saw that a couple times.   Most of the time I don't notice them until I really look for them.  May you have continued success with your recovery.  Regards, Jim

[JohnHaganMD]

Thanks for the comments Jim

[Monica19815]

That is exactly what these look like!  Thanks for the reply, Jim.

[MrPresley]

My only residual floater in my operative LE is one black dot . There were several clear dot ones following subsequent cataract surgery but those have all since disappeared.

[JohnHaganMD]

Thanks Mr P