I had an excellent experience with Dr. Johnson, and my floater situation has been improved immensely since becoming his patient. Here is what I told him about my results: As soon as I began using the atropine drops, I was 100% satisfied. When I first found Dr. J's website, I remember reading another patient's review that said "it feels like I've gotten my life back" and that is exactly how I'm feeling. I feel like myself again thanks to the low-dose atropine drops! I've decided that from now on, I'm going to mark January 31, the day I started using the drops, on my calendar as "Atropiphany." Feels like a fitting title for the day that things turned around for me. As a 25-year-old floater-sufferer, I needed the hope that these eye drops gave me. read more

Results and outcome are ultimately the true measure of the value of any business, particularly a medical practice. It is also the reason people turn to Facebook and Google reviews; for honest information and input from reviewers. Working with eye floaters and determining improvement is very subjective and a very complex issue. However, I hired Dr. Johnson, "The Floater Doctor", for Yag laser Vitreolysis treatment of a large Weiss Ring floater, and unfortunately, following 2 treatments, I viewed my condition as actually worsening by about 10%. In a nutshell, my one large organized Weiss Ring floater in the side of my vision became many, many disorganized floaters in the center of my vision. That's how I quantified that my outcome represented a 10% degradation. The degradation is the result of the increased number of floaters combined with their location in my eye and the disorganized nature of those many floaters. For a bit, I thought it actually got better and I advised Dr. Johnson of that but again, in different lighting conditions have different effect and what I thought was an improvement, has since become worse again. After a couple months I've now realized that the improvement I thought I noticed was actually illusionary. Unfortunately one cannot really notice the full nature of the results of Yag Laser Vitreolysis for some time after each treatment is performed; at least until the dilation and numbing drops wear off and therefore impossible to know if the treatment was successful for an extended period of time. I would put that minimal time at twenty-four hours and then perhaps even up to several weeks following the treatment for complete results to be realized. Because I drove 800 miles each way to Arlington, TX to meet with Dr. Johnson, I wanted to make certain that I planned enough time to ensure a positive outcome and advised Dr. Johnson of that when I made my appointment and through email communications leading up to the appointment. Essentially, I was available for as long as needed. Although I did anticipate having to undergo additional treatments and had planned accordingly, I did not pursue further treatment because at the conclusion of my second treatment Dr. Johnson said that he was very happy with the results and was surprised at how clean everything looked after starting with such a large floater. Dr. Johnson then advised that he had completed the treatment and no further treatments would be necessary or indicated. That advice from Dr. Johnson lead me to understand that it was Dr. Johnson's assessment that additional treatments were not likely to produce better or more thorough results. Prior to posting this review, I did try to call Dr. Johnson but there was no answer and his phone number does not allow one to leave a message and to paraphrase, simply says that he's very busy and to email him instead. The above is my personal experience with Yag Laser Vitreolysis. I've since put together a five step analysis based upon my experience that I share (when asked) on social media with other floater sufferers who are considering Yag Laser Vitreolysis to help them decide how to proceed. #floaterdoctor #thefloaterdoctor #jamesjohnson #drjamesjohnson #drjamesjohnsonarlington #eyefloaters #weissring #wiessring #yaglaservitreolysis #vitreolysis #laservitreolysis The Floater Doctor - Treatment for Vitreous Eye Floaters #thefloaterdoctor #vitrectomy #treatmentforvitreouseyefloaters #vitreouseyefloaters read more

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Met Dr. Johnson for a virtual meeting to talk about my experience with eye floaters and to prescribe atropine. He's incredible personable, caring, and knowledgeable about eye health and floaters. You can tell the passion he has for what does. Truly a professional. Would highly recommend for those suffering from eye floaters or other related issues. read more

TL;DR: Dr. Johnson changed my life, I can definitively say that. I had floaters all my life, and it's been a truly life changing experience after having had several treatments done, and I'd say it's the best $3,000 I've ever spent in my whole life. Dr. Johnson was the most patient doctor, answered all my questions, spent over an hour with me on my first visit (not including the treatment itself), and followed up with me after each treatments. In this season of Thanksgiving, I want to write this long overdue review to thank him. As young as when I was 5 years old I started to notice a small black dot that was floating in my field of vision and I remember using it as a target reticle in the heads up display of a jet fighter and pretending I'm chasing down enemy planes with it. As I grew older, I got more and more nearsighted, and the floaters got worse, long strands, clouds, you name it. When I was 18, I remember it got to a point that my mom and I made an extra visit to the ophthalmologist (I already go for annual check ups for glasses and contacts). The doctor assured me the retina and everything looked fine, and floaters are a way of life, and just to "live with it". I was dismayed because no one can do anything about it. The floaters progressively got worse, especially in the last 5 years, when a thick black strand in my left eye would keep floating directly over the text or code I am trying to write and started to become a real distraction at work. This is beyond annoying as a software engineer. My right eye has floaters, too, but is something I can actually "live with". I remember stumbling upon Dr. Johnon's website when I was in graduate school when there was a period of time floaters really bothered me (I mean, it alway bothered me but I was usually able to cope with it), and looked it up again, and found: https://www.thefloaterdoctor.com/ I remember Dr Johnson wrote he normally doesn't treat younger people, and didn't have as much success with them, but since now I am 37, and this floater thing has bothered me for much of my life, I decided why not, let's have an initial consultation. Since now I live in LA, it's only a 1-2 hours drive to Irvine depending on traffic, and I got to a point where I'm willing to spend the money to know definitively whether I could be treated. On my first visit in 2019, Dr. Johnson let me know my left eye had A LOT of things in there, and wondered how I could even work or function with them, and I was definitely not making a mountain out of a molehill. I was actually overjoyed that he was willing to treat it, and said my floaters are a good distance from the retina, making me a good candidate, despite my younger age. Even while we were waiting for the eye to dilate, he gave me a presentation on the procedure, what to expect, the anatomy of the eye, how the laser worked, his safety precautions, and answered all my questions. After the first treatment, my left eye was completely clear for about 24 hours. Unfortunately, because I had a particularly nasty case of "reformers", the floaters came back, condensed into a less dark, but still long strand. It took until after the 3rd treatment for the floater to stop consistently hovering over the text or code I'm trying to read, which I was overjoyed. I continued 2 more treatments to do further "clean up" and can say I am very happy with the overall results. Despite Dr. Johnson saying I'm the top few % worst floater cases he's ever seen, I estimate that an overall 70% permanent reduction of floaters has been achieved. The most bothersome floaters in the center of my left eye are gone. This is a life saver. Thanks again Dr. Johnson! read more

Dr. Johnson is truly a one of a kind Dr. I highly recommend Dr. Johnson to anyone suffering from eye floaters. The consultation is fairly priced as he gives you an in depth one on one presentation of what eye floaters are and how to treat them with the yag laser. You may be a candidate for treatment or not. Whatever the outcome is, you won't be dissatisfied with your experience. Dr. Johnson truly cares about his patients and is very knowledgeable about his practice. Thank you Dr. Johnson read more

Just when I thought I would have to live with my super annoying and distracting floaters, I found Dr. Johnson. I was skeptical, but curious so I read and watched some videos. Having spent a lot of money to date on eye health vitamins, OTC drops, and other supplements I decided to try this. I have had one specific floater that sits right in my line of sight and was told by my local eye doctor it "was just part of aging eyes" but it was becoming really bothersome. The appointment was very easy to schedule, I accidentally scheduled the wrong type (in-person vs. Telemedicine) but Dr. Johnson reached out right away to get it corrected. He was professional and took the time to understand what was happening and gave me some good insights on how the drops reduced/eliminated floaters. I got my drops within a week. First day, used as instructed (1 drop per eye) and waited. After it kicked in I went outside and HALLELUJAH!!!!! I forgot just how wonderful it was to see the world clearly!!! This reduced my floaters by 95% and I'm so thrilled. These did make my eyes sensitive to light (which Dr. Johnson told me about) and suggested if it was too much that they could be diluted further with plain saline eye drops. Overall, 10/10 recommend. Refills are super affordable and while I won't use these every single day, it's such a relief knowing that I can enjoy seeing clearly, easily. read more

I will never forget September 2008. I was driving from Einstein Bagels when large clouds appeared in my left eye. At first I was opportunistic they were dust. They weren't. Suddenly I became a floater sufferer. I was in a living hell where every time I moved my left eye from left to right two large clouds floated in my vision. If I was seated still, at a red light for example, the two large clouds would slowly travel down my line of vision. Immediately I made appointments with eye doctors. The biggest fear of a floater sufferer is a retina attachment. After visits with a couple of ophthalmologists, I was told that there is nothing that could be done and that I would have to live with it. Where I had cherished my time hiking in the sun, I now avoided the sun. Hiking had been replaced by spending Saturdays in the indoor palaces of the Strip. I was alive but spiritually dead. When I described my condition people thought I was a worrier. I could not accept the scenario to just live with it. I started getting more assertive with my research. The frustration that floater sufferers live with is that eye floaters are considered a benign condition in the ophthalmology community. The attitude is that it is not leading to blindness, so live with it. Eye floater sufferers will come to the realization that there are only three practices in the United States that perform yag laser surgery on eye floaters. There is Dr Geller in South Florida, a doctor in Virginia, and Dr. Johnson in Irvine California. I was leaning toward Dr. Johnson to perform my surgery. Before finally making up my mind, his on line videos of performing the laser surgery convinced me to take off from work and drive to Southern California to have it done. This was my California dreaming. This surgery was so important that I took out four years of my Walmart shareholder stock to pay for the procedure and staying in Southern California. At the time, the laser procedure for one eye costed $1,400. Now it is $1,850. Another sad thing for floater sufferers is that the health plans do not cover this procedure. About 300 miles from Las Vegas, I was in Dr. Johnson's practice. It is in an office building walking distance of the Orange County Airport in Irvine. Taking into consideration that Dr. Johnson is the only ophthalmologist that totally specializes in the treatment of eye floaters, it is surprising that he does everything in the office. He was the receptionist, the person that I talked to on the phone and the doctor. Just like anybody else, I have a fear of having shots in my eye. Believe me I could of used a beer. The procedure started out with me drawing the floaters. A few minutes later, Dr. Johnson gives a visual exam. Then he dilated my left eye. About twenty minutes later, the procedure begins. He secured my head in a head rest and placed a lens over my left eye. What was amazing is there was zero discomfort. With immaculate skill he aimed the laser in my eye and tried to eliminate the floater. I knew that something was happening was when some of the floater material turned to bubbles moving up my eye. Actually they were dissolving. In the background was Elvis Costello music. After the treatment, I paid the money and drove to a motel. Dr. Johnson's office is near Disney Land. I stayed there for the night. When I woke up, there was still the floaters. Dr. Johnson was very approachable, and scheduled a followup visit later in the day so that he could spend time with his family and I could sight see (with floaters). At night time I sat through a followup session. It was actually relaxing. There was more improvement but still some floaters. I could tell that he cared because he was getting frustrated trying to remove them. He did not charge for the follow up visit. As Dr. Johnson says, there is a percentage of improvement change in eye floaters. I left his office being able to go outside. Dr. Johnson's contribution helping eye floater sufferers extends to his discussion boards. It was a virtual community where Dr. Johnson answers eye floater sufferer's questions. But just like Yelp Talk it deteriorated from trolls. Dr. Johnson has adjusted the programming to eliminate this activity. A few years have passed since this surgery. I have prayed and have filled my soul with hope. My eye floaters have faded to the point that I have returned to hiking. If you read my hiking reviews you would never think that I suffered through this condition. At the point that my eye floaters started to fade and I returned to hiking and more traveling, something major came into my life. It was Yelp. If you are suffering from any condition; hopefully this review has a moral. When the majority of people tell you that you have to live with this condition, go with your instincts and go with what you feel is right. Most of all have hope. Yelp 100 Challenge. Review 45 of 100 read more

One night sitting watching TV I had two bright flashes of light when I looked right to left. The next morning, I had a huge cluster of bloody Floaters directly in the line of vision in my left eye. I had what I've come to know was a PVD. I too was told by my Opthamologist that I should just "live with it" and like many here I was devastated. Found Dr. Johnson online and we flew down to his office as soon as we could. To sum up, I am 80% improved. The biggest blockage was gone after one treatment and he was able to clean up almost all of the remaining stragglers over the next two days. I now only have two Floaters left and already I have gotten used to them and don't think about them most of the time. This is a huge improvement over the condition I was in when I came to him. I would never have been able to "get used to" the mass of floaters that I had originally. Dr. J has made my life better with this treatment and I'm grateful that there are Drs. like him that will treat this condition. I plan to send an email to my Ophthalmologist after I finish here and let him know how wrong he was. read more

I am very fortunate to have met Dr. Johnson. He is honest and professional. My left eye floaters had been bothering me for 6 years. My right eye experienced floaters 2 months ago. I received two laser treatments on my left eye and one laser treatment on my right eye. My vision has improved a lot since the treatments. I highly recommend Dr. Johnson to patients who require eye floater treatment. Thank you again Dr. Johnson! read more

I found Dr. Johnson in my attempt to fix my eye floaters. I had a quick consultation over Zoom and was sent a sample of Atropine drops in the mail. They work very well. They reduce the visibility of my floaters by over 95%. This treatment does not remove the floaters, but reduces the visibility and makes them more manageable. It's a great option for those who are not ready to commit to laser or vitrectomy. If you suffer from floaters, you already know it's absolute hell. These drops have saved me on my worst days!! read more

This review is long overdue! Dr. Johnson is the best doctor! I am so grateful to him for the unparalleled care he provided to me. If you are living with eye floaters, I highly recommend seeking out Dr. Johnson for a consultation. He is one of the top eye surgeons in the world, specializing in the treating eye floaters with the YAG laser. In 2014, I was rear ended in a car accident. I suffered a concussion and shortly thereafter, developed several eye floaters. I went to see a local Pasadena area retina specialist, who spent 10 minutes with me and told me that there was no treatment available and assured me that my brain would get "used to it". Well, two years later, I still wasn't "used to it". The floaters have been really distracting and they are especially visible to me since I spend my job requires me to be reading and writing in front of a computer monitor everyday. Every time I shift my eyes to read a line, I'll see a squiggly mark fly across my field of vision. I ran across Dr. Johnson's website during a Google search of eye floater treatments and I spent a long time reading the wonderfully detailed information on the site. I was astounded by the fact that people had traveled from across the world to seek treatment from Dr. Johnson. I made an appointment with Dr. Johnson and drove down to Irvine to get my consultation. I was blown away by how thorough and individualized my consultation was. Dr. Johnson personally did the intake, and performed a thorough eye exam (with dilation) using the top of the line microscope he uses to operate on patients. Dr. Johnson spent over an hour with me examining me and answering my questions with confidence and expertise. Unfortunately in my case, the floaters were too close to my retina to operate on safely. Dr. Johnson is such an honest, kind, and compassionate doctor who truly cares about each of his patients. I wish all doctors were like him. He is truly a gem, and I would highly recommend him to anyone. read more

Dr Johnson delivers on everything he promises. That being said, he does not guarantee 100% perfection. That was the case with me. I got what he diagnosed as a Weiss ring. I don't think most optometrist know much about floaters, you really have to go to Dr. Johnson to get diagnosed to know for sure. Going in, I thought it was a weiss ring based on his web site. You should read his web site, it is packed with information. I thought it was a Weiss ring because I am over 50, the floater had mass, it looked brown (like his video), looked circular, and I saw it develop while I was walking one day. Weiss rings develop after a posterior vitreous detachment, so that is what I think happened that day. The floater initally seemed tethered to one side of my eye and then floated freely. Dr Johnson recommended to wait 30 days after the event before he treats it in order to give the floater time to move to the center of the eye. He can only treat floaters that are not too close to the retina or the lens. He zapped the weiss ring floater. It was completely gone. However, the next day I was left with a lot of cobwebby floaters tethered to the top of my eye and some free floaters. I am not sure where those came from. Perhaps they were already there as part of the PVD and the laser zapping stirred them up. They are distracting, but arguably better than the large weiss ring floater. The second visit I did a week later, he zapped a lot of stuff, but the cobwebby stuff still remained. Dr Johnson is great, but the YAG laser treatment has it's limitations, so that is why I removed one star. You are never sure what it will end up like after the laser. The laser can't hit everything. It is an imperfect treatment. Still, it is probably the best thing out there for safely treating floaters. I think they only other treatment I saw was a floater Vitrectomy and that seems pretty risky and invasive. If you are going to do the YAG floater treatment, use Dr. Johnson or someone like him who only does this for a living. He will need to do hundreds of laser clicks to zap your floater. So you want someone skilled and always in practice. He has been doing this for over 11 years, so he has a lot of experience. read more

I've known Dr Johnson since he started in 2007 and he has treated me on multiple occasions now in both eyes. I've been to other doctors who use similar techniques to treat floaters but I would have to say that he is the best probably because he's a very meticulous person, has great attention to detail, and is somewhat of a perfectionist in his work. I highly recommend him and if you're not sure I would just do an evaluation and he'll let you know if he can treat you or not. read more

Excellent Treatment. I had a huge piece of junk blocking my vision when I used my computer. It was so annoying but it's gone now. Dr. Johnson takes great care to identify and eliminate the problem safely. He's a rare expert in this field and he's clearly honest and ethical. He won't take risks and won't take your money if there are risks. I've had 3 treatments on one eye so far. I had a gigantic mess of floaters in there, the treatments are definitely working. I Highly Recommend The Floater Doctor! read more

I accompanied my wife to her appointment with Dr. James Johnson and it was an excellent experience! He is extremely knowledgeable, explained the complexities of vision thoroughly, and was very honest. I'd highly recommend him! read more

Though I didn't use this doctor because of the type of floaters I had, he amazingly called me and (instead of trying to win my business) told me to go with the surgeon I had. Really nice and very ethical doctor! read more

My left eye is so clear! My right eye has irritating floaters that go in and out of my vision. Before you spend the $4,000, be very certain that your floaters will go away by themselves. read more

Where do I begin? So many positive comments about Dr. Johnson from my visits to him. I will attempt to write my review without end up writing something so long as "War and Peace". I am a very active person who also happens to be very nearsighted in my mid-50's. In mid-February of this year, after a Zumba session, numerous eye floaters appeared in my left eye. I found out later on that extreme head movement can lead to the visterous gel loosening, especially, for mature and very nearsighted person such as myself. It was sheer terror. The following day to rule out retina detachment, I went to see a retina specialist. No retina detachment and the eye was fine. I was given the advice the floaters will diminish in time. Six months later, I was still left with a rather large floater. Granted the smaller ones have diminished some, but the larger floater was problematic. I tried eye drops; health supplements; eye exercises; even fasting for a few days. Nothing, and I mean nothing helped. While all the articles on-line basically say the same -- that floaters are not harmful...the brain will get used to them...we should live with it...all B.S. My brain did not and could not get used to the floaters, it was making me miserable. However, I have never been one to give up so I jointed an on-line forum and that was how I found out about Dr. Johnson. After reading his extremely comprehensive website thoroughly, I reached out to one of the Yelpers that gave one of the excellent reviews of his work (the Yelper said her eye is still doing very well after she received the service from Dr. Johnson from few years back), and that was when I decided to see Dr. Johnson. A very pleasant man with a wonderful "chair-side" manner, that Dr. Johnson. Not an ounce of arrogance and completely respectful towards me. It was not a "let me look at your floaters, give me my money, and I will treat you, but don't expect too much" experience. Instead, he spent a good amount of time educating me so I can decide on whether to move forward with the procedure. After the consultation, I had no doubt whatsoever. I had my first and second sessions on two consecutive days, and although the floaters are not completely gone, they have improved a lot. I will be going back to him for the third and fourth sessions in the coming weeks to fine tune it even more. I wish Dr. Johnson the best of health so he can continue to help many others who no longer have to suffer eye floaters. read more

Two months ago (in March 2016), I made the Minnesota-to-Southern California trip to meet with Dr. James Johnson for YAG laser treatment. It's May now; I wanted to wait before posting my experience to take note of any post-operation issues or improvements, and - spoiler alert! - the news is all good. My expectations have been met...and indeed, exceeded. This journey began two years prior to my visit with the good doc, when I'd first contacted him to inquire about laser treatment of the floaters that had recently appeared due to (I later learned) posterior vitreous detachment in both eyes. Our 2014 email exchange impressed me because of the wealth of helpful information he freely provided, even after I'd stated up front that I was not ready to actually go ahead with laser treatment at that time. His detailed responses to my many questions alleviated the worry that I'd felt following the sudden onset of these unwanted ocular occupants. My only remaining question was a big one: would my particular "floater profile" be treatable with this method? Again, I emailed Dr. J. to ask about this potential deal breaker, and again his reply was both informative and conservative: there were no contraindications based on what I'd told him, but he would still need to evaluate my eyes and the floaters in person to determine whether I'd be a good candidate. That made sense, so I made travel plans. The evaluation exam Dr. Johnson conducted was extremely thorough, and as he coupled it with essentially a mini-education in the anatomy of the eye, I found it fascinating. I really appreciate the way he has structured his practice to allow for in-depth work with each patient - he spent over three hours with me during my first visit and about 90 minutes on the follow-up, which included a second laser treatment. (I must admit, Dr. J. is very personable and we did get to chatting, leading to a longer consultation...but still, expect at least a couple of hours for your initial visit if it includes a laser treatment.) As it turned out, the evaluation exam yielded great results: my particular breed of floaters happened to be among those most amenable to successful YAG laser treatment. It was certainly reassuring as well that all potential risk factors were on the low end, and therefore I gave the go-ahead for treatment that same morning. What can I say about the YAG laser treatment itself? First of all, read the detailed technical description and watch the video of the procedure on TheFloaterDoctor.com - they are surprisingly close to what you'll actually see on the receiving end. The treatment itself is completely painless, as promised - for me, the most uncomfortable aspect was having my pupils dilated, but even that doesn't hurt at all. I'd guess the first treatment lasted about 45 minutes and the second about half an hour. Subjectively, the experience for me was like watching Dr. J. play the old video game "Asteroids" - using my retinas as the playing field. He actually takes precise aim and shoots a laser beam at each floater-object, and every successful "hit" results in a shower of black shard-like fragments in your visual field. Kinda fun, if you imagine it that way. Aftereffects were minimal. It took several hours for the dilation to wear off, that was it. And, once my vision had returned to normal, the results were nothing short of fantastic: 90% or more of my floaters were. Simply. GONE. What an astoundingly positive outcome...and what a relief! Because I was hoping not to have to change my flight plans, the follow-up visit was scheduled the very next day. Usually, Dr. Johnson told me, he prefers to wait a week between first and second treatments, but since the first treatment had gone so well, he determined it was okay. During my second visit, he explained that the remaining 10% of my floaters were of a diffuse, cloud-like nature that is not effectively targeted by the YAG laser beam. Let me tell you, though, that 90% improvement is plenty for me. It has made a HUGE difference in my quality of vision - and hence, my life. I am also confident that if anyone can be called a true innovator in this field, it is Dr. James Johnson. It wouldn't surprise me at all if down the road he finds a way to zap some of those stubborn floater remnants, too. Should you consider this treatment? Clearly, this is a major decision, and you only get two eyes, so the stakes are high. As with any new application of technology, one must be willing to think, and act, outside the box. I did my research, took my sweet time to move forward, and when I finally did, was fortunate enough to be in the high reward/low risk demographic for this particular procedure. Obviously, "your mileage may vary," but if you are willing to invest in what could be a major quality-of-life enhancement through improved vision, I wholeheartedly endorse and recommend paying a visit to the talented, pioneering, and courageous Dr. James Johnson. read more

AWESOME!... This is the FIRST TIME I've had an hour and a half consultation with a doctor. He had me fill out the patient information forms, but there was one segment in which I needed to draw what my floaters looked like. Despite my talent of only being able to draw stick figures, he was able to recognize that I had a treatable Weiss ring. He had a dry erase board with a cross section diagram of the eye. He proceeded to explain the anatomy of the eye, and the types of floaters that he would or would not be able to treat. Based upon my age he was confident that he would not have a problem treating my floaters. Instead of giving me a piece of paper with the disclosure with the fine print, he explained everything that was on the disclosure with the use of his dry erase board. He thoroughly explained the pros and cons regarding the use of a laser to treat eye floaters. The percentage of success, and the step(s) needed to remove the majority of the floaters were also given. After the hour and a half consultation, I was then given the disclosure that I did not read. I did my homework, before I made an appointment to see him. According to the Internet, there are only 3 doctors that use the Yag laser to treat vitreous floaters. Fortunately, the doctor that I wanted to see was Dr. James Johnson, and I'm thankful that his office is only 2 hours away from my residence. I am very thankful that he was able to treat my floaters right after my consultation today. The consultation took longer than the treatment. It was painless and non-invasive! There was NO downtime! My husband was afraid that I would not be able to drive afterwards, but I would have been able to drive. I'm thankful he drove, because at least we were able to use the car pool lane. Seven hours have passed and I no longer see the annoying Weiss ring floater with its accompanying floater that trailed in front/behind it all the time. The LARGE cloud (hazy vitreous) is no longer present, there's just a small cloud that is floating around. I could not handle the large hazy vitreous because I rely on my left eye for central vision, since I only have peripheral vision in my right eye. Before being treated by Dr. Johnson, I would get dizzy because the Weiss ring would go one direction as the hazy vitreous would go the opposite direction. You'll be able to see videos on his website which explains the Yag laser treatment of vitreous floaters. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND Dr. James Johnson to anyone that is suffering with those annoying vitreous floaters. read more

Dr. Johnson is just one of three practitioners in the world able to perform noninvasive laser removal of floaters..he is extremely eager to fully educate his patients on eye health and what he can realistically achieve. My own eye was too extremely occluded with a large volume of floaters. He did detect a retinal tear and got me into a walk in appointment in Santa Monica to get laser reattachment. Less than two hours later it was done. What is your eyesight worth? Finding the best of the best to save your eyes. read more

The Floater Doctor - Dr Johnson - great patient care and followup - Ophthalmologists Near Me - Arlington, Texas

Did a thorough exam and explained everything in detail. Procedure was painless and took about 20 minutes. The next day, 80% of my obstructions were gone, especially the big one that irritated me most. After my second treatment, he got another 5%. Now, I have to really try hard to find a floater. What more can you ask for. If he had guaranteed this result from the beginning, I would have paid double. But with the uncertainty, his fee was fair. read more

Dr. Johnson was referred and highly recommend to me by my Eye Dr. I'm extremely happy with him. I saw him initially in 2011 for my floaters in my right eye. I just went back now as my floaters came back to the point it was starting to really annoy me. Dr. Johnson takes his time, gets most of the floaters, is so easy to talk to, explains what he's going to do and what to expect afterwards and in my opinion is a very honest man. So, If you've got floaters that are starting to annoy you and don't know who to see or where to go I'd highly recommend him. You can't go wrong with this man. Best thing is he's very reasonably priced as well. read more

I must give the most positive review for Dr. Johnson. I had floaters in each eye and it was reducing my quality of life. I contacted Dr. Johnson and he was very professional. Upon setting an appointment and traveling to his location, my floaters were gone the same day. Any uninformed doctor that tells you that you must learn to live with floaters, should be immediately sent packing. I have no other reason to provide this review other than to help others improve their floater condition. read more

As anyone who has them can tell you, floaters SUCK. I first noticed mine almost a year ago and after grappling with the issue for months and doing plenty of internet research, I decided to see Dr. Johnson in late March of this year. I found his website rather informative, especially in regards to the information about floaters in younger people like me. This is why I went into the appointment not expecting there to be anything Dr. Johnson could do about my floaters, but I wouldn't know for sure unless I actually saw him in person and had him look at my eyes. In a way, being told there was nothing that could be done about my floaters would be closure and force me to "live with them" and "get used to them," as most Ophthalmologists will tell you. I also was generally curious about the type of floaters I had (size, location, etc.) so I went ahead and booked an appointment at Dr. Johnson's office, which conveniently was only 20 minutes from my house. As for the appointment itself, initially I found Dr. Johnson to be very personable and thorough. After testing my vision, checking my eye pressure and going over my paperwork (including crude attempts by me to draw my floaters' makeup and direction), my eyes were dilated and he used the transition time to explain details about eye floaters on a nifty white board with a breakdown of the eye on it. He then examined my eyes the traditional way (look up, look left, etc.) to see if there was any retina damage, which I knew from seeing my insurance's ophthalmologist there wasn't but obviously I'm glad he double checked. So far, so good. This, however, is where I became slightly disappointed with my visit and why I knocked a couple of stars off of my review. When it came time to take a closer look for the floaters, we went over to his YAG laser machine (which, of course, was unarmed) because apparently the magnification tool was better there so he could get a better look. I had indicated on my paperwork that the floaters were a little worse in my right eye, so Dr. Johnson started with that eye and after some searching determined that the floaters were way too close to the retina and there was nothing he could do, which is what I expected to hear. The problem is, he didn't continue to examine my dilated left eye at all. I asked about it a couple of times and he said he didn't need to. This was very confusing because both my eyes were dilated and I paid $250 for the exam, only to have one eye thoroughly examined. If the left eye wasn't going to be examined, why even bother dilating it? What if the left eye actually was treatable? We will never know because eventually I stopped pushing the issue, partially out of fatigue but also partially out of not wanting to question a doctor. The next 15 minutes of the visit were spent on me listening to Dr. Johnson talk about the "low-carb high-fat" (LCHF) diet, which is certainly a topic I'm interested in (I've actually been on that diet in spurts the last couple of years), but it's not what I spent $250 for. I much rather would've spent that time having my left eye closely examined as well. Therefore, I can say I recommend Dr. Johnson with reservations. While he was honest, personable, knowledgeable and (initially) very thorough, I do feel a little slighted seeing as only one eye was thoroughly examined for the location and types of floaters. If you end up in a similar situation, my best advice is advocate for yourself more than I did, unless you want your $250 to partially go to waste. read more

Doctor Johnson is a pioneer in this field as my experience went. For a specialist who dedicated his career to treating patients' floaters he truly shines. His site and in-person consultation stress the alternatives - invasive vitrectomy where 3 needles puncture the eye or wait it out. In my case I had a Weiss ring dancing around and a hazy amorphous cloud in the anterior vitreous that was annoying, if not challenging, trying to read signs while driving. His informative session is a consolidation of the deep material on the website. He lectured on anatomy and offered some conservative strategies as to what he may treat if the patient qualifies - usually age and position of floaters within the vitreous humor. After agreeing to move forward, I took a few drops of eye dilation and anesthetics and walked over to a desk with laser machine. With slit lamp optics and a special lens, Doctor Johnson surveyed deeper and found the first target. The laser fired away and I heard the clicking staccato noise only from the mechanics of the mirror moving up and down. I recall a burst of flashes and could see the shadowy fragments or strands actually breaking up sometimes. I had complete confidence of my eye safety the entire time despite this being a new experience. His communication was reaffirming too, and he explained the strategy play by play during the process. Afterward a successful treatment I saw the grouping of dark microscopic bubbles. They resembled an oil spill, but mind you it is simply the inert gas created by the plasma energy when the laser zaps collagen strands. It dissipated within the hour. The next morning I was delighted to see the sky much more clearly and read with less stress. I'll consider some necessary cleanup work down the road as some floaters will naturally recombine to form some shadowy, lighter strands. Not at all concerned there as he mentioned this beforehand. All in all, I am very grateful for Doctor Johnson's steadfast skill and precise aim each time to improve vision in one eye in just two sessions. I hope the American Board of Ophthalmology will promote future funding and recognition into advancing non-invasive treatments to help a greater cause. read more

This Doctor was straight forward and honest. unfortunately he could not help me but refers me to someone who could. aaa in my book

I'm so surprised at seeing all of these 5 star reviews, I thought I owed it to interested parties to share my experience. I have had pretty bad floaters for years and have tried to live with them but they began affecting my reading, driving and reading music. After finding out about Dr. Johnson in Irvine, CA I went in for the evaluation. It's true he warned that his treatments may not solve my problems but that I should see at least 50% improvement. So I decided to go with it and had both eyes treated with two treatments in the worst eye. The bottom line is I got 0% improvement and in one eye, they got a bit worse. One strange side note is when I went in for the second treatment on my worst eye, after he looked around in that eye said, "OK, there's just a little clean up work to do". So apparently he couldn't even see the large mass of floaters in that eye. Since then I have gone to a retinologist who took amazingly detailed pictures inside my eyes which showed clearly the shadows that the floaters cast over my retina. Since I also had the start of an epiretinal membrane on one eye he could get insurance approval for removing that which would involve a vitrectomy that would remove my floaters. Bottom line is the vitrectomy surgery was very quick, easy (for me) and solved my floater problem in that eye completely. Like many people here in this forum, I had also heard of the "dangers" of vitrectomy but research - away from the yag laser docs - showed that it is now quite rare. So, at least I'd say be warned that Dr. Johnson's comments about possibly not seeing much improvement are very large possibility. read more

I was told by my ophthalmologist that only a vitrectomy could solve the issue associated with a posterior vitreous detachment. This invasive surgery actually required a second surgery usually within the year to deal with the cataract that formed. My ophthalmologist warned me that use of a YAG laser to treat the associated Weiss ring and floaters was not an effective treatment and too radical. As a result I chose not to consider a treatment for over two years in the hope that my vision would improve or that I would become "accustomed to the floaters" and could eventually ignore them. This simply did not happen and my vision continued to affect my quality of life making reading and driving challenging. After extensive research and discussion with health professionals I chose to visit Dr. James Johnson who devotes his entire practice to "floater treatment". I felt I had little to lose, as even after treatment with the YAG laser, I could still opt for a vitrectomy and cataract surgery. I was extreme pleased with the results of my treatments. In the first treatment Dr. Johnson completely removed my debilitating Weiss Ring floater and on the second treatment he cleared up a number of other floaters. In both cases, an hour after treatment, I joined my family at Disneyland. This never would have happened with a vitrectomy! Dr. Johnson spent considerable time with me to explain the procedure; how the eye functions, how the laser works and what I could expect. While I still have a number of floaters in my right eye, I can't even describe how great an improvement I have to my vision. Dr. Johnson has indeed improved my quality of life and I am forever thankful. I strongly recommend him to treat "floater issues". read more

Dr. Johnson significantly improved the vision in both of my eyes. He performed two treatments in my right eye and one in my left. My right eye was especially bad due to an old detached retina. While I still have floaters in both eyes, they are greatly reduced and mostly around the outside of my direct field of vision. Both eyes are in the 60-80% range. If your ophthalmologist infers there is nothing you can do about floaters, suggest you visit Dr. Johnson! read more

I'm a sixty year old male from NY. I've had detached retinas in both my eyes and subsequently developed terrible floaters in both. My floaters are not the easily treatable dense type of floaters but are more numerous and diffuse. Dr, johnsons term for them is "opacities". I've now flown across country on four separate occasions to be treated by Dr. Johnson. He's highly skilled at what he does and is a very caring and compassionate physician. My left eye is now totally clear and my right eye is 90% improved. At this point, I'm a very happy patient. I'd previously visited and was treated by floter specialists in Florida and New Jersey. The difference between them and DR. Johnson is he's willing to spend a lot of time per session in treating you. I also feel with his specializing in treating floaters is he's developed skills and techniques beyond every one else. If floaters are making your life miserable you owe it to yourself to go see Dr. Johnson.Your review helps others learn about great local businesses. Please don't review this business if you received a freebie for writing this review, or if you're connected in any way to the owner or employees. read more

After being rear ended by another car at high speed in 2015, I was debilitated by traumatic brain injury and have been seeing a lot of floaters since. It was an extremely frustrating experience as I felt like looking through a fish tank every day with all the dense floaters moving around in my vision. I went to visit local eye specialists and every one of them told me to live with it and there was nothing they can do other than a surgery to replace the fluid, which is extremely risky. I did many research online and found out about YAG laser treatments, apparently there are only 3 Doctors in US that specialize in using YAG lasers to treat floaters. I decided to go to Dr. Johnson's office in Southern California due to the close proximity from Seattle. Dr. Johnson is personable and authentic, compare to many other MDs and medical providers I have seen in recent years, he is definitely in a class of his own. He operates out of a boutique and small office near the Orange County airport. He takes time to work with one patient at a time with plenty of rooms between appointments. During my initial consultation, he patiently went over the physics of YAG laser and the procedures. He was extremely knowledgeable and thoroughly addressed every single question I had. Most importantly, he was honest about the prognosis and setting the right expectations of the treatment based on the type of floaters I have. He provided me the necessary data and his professional opinions, never pressured me on the decision. I decided to come back for full treatments on a separate trip, in those treatment sessions, he meticulously searched and hunted down the treatable floaters. He was very prudent and not willing to take risks on the floaters that are close to my retina. I certainly appreciate that as no one would like to come out of the treatments worse than going in. As he expected, I do see good improvements on my right eye after the treatment sessions. I am so glad I went down there to get my treatments. I certainly won't hesitate to go back there in the future to do more sessions to clean them up further. read more

I had a PVD in December, 2018 and already knew of Dr. Johnson because a friend of mine had received much improvement after he treated her floaters. I had a Weiss ring after the PVD, and Dr. Johnson pretty much eliminated it with the first two treatments. Unfortunately, I have also experienced some new floaters occurring, and they are the long strand type that swing back and forth as I read. After my 6th treatment, Dr. Johnson felt he hadn't been able do accomplish much and didn't charge me for that visit. I called my friend and she encouraged me to go back if Dr. Johnson was willing to allow it. He agreed to treat me further if I really wanted to continue, so I had treatments yesterday and today. I think I have about a 50-60% improvement from what was there a couple of days ago, and hope to be able to adjust to what remains. If not, I'm thankful to have the option to see Dr. Johnson again at a later date. I have about a 90% improvement overall. Dr. Johnson truly cares about improving his patients' vision with his work and he is very interesting to talk to. I had a horrible experience with LASIK and my right eye is heavily damaged. Unfortunately, the PVD occurred in the same eye and it was very difficult to make the decision to have another laser pointed into that eye. It's wonderful to have a safe treatment for floaters, but it seems that most optometrists and other ophthalmologists are not familiar enough with this procedure to recommend it. While I think it's possible to learn to mostly ignore small floaters that are more in the periphery, it is very distressing to have a Weiss ring central in your vision after a PVD. I wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Johnson and his laser treatment. I did wait to write a review until reaching a point where I feel it was worth the time and expense to have these treatments. I'm hoping I won't have a PVD in my left eye, but it's likely to occur and I'm sure I'll be driving from AZ to CA to have Dr. Johnson treat it. read more

I am a 50+ adjunct professor, highly myopic, wearing contacts since I was 17 years old, now also reading glasses. Over a month ago, I woke up and had black floaters in my eyes. I was very concerned something serious may be wrong, and I made an appointment with Kaiser, my HMO insurance. I was told I had two PVDs (Posterior Vitreous Detachments) in my eyes, and the young male doctor told me I should get used to the floaters, maybe give them names, like Bob, or something, before hurrying out of the door. Needless to say, I was quite upset by such dismissive and patronizing treatment by a health professional. I jumped on the internet, did all my research, and found Mr. Johnson in Irvine, relieved to find out his office was only 1/ 1/2 hr drive away. I carefully read everything on his website, as well as reviewed the feedback he received. I was confident I made the right choice when I saw him to get my first treatment for the Weiss ring in both my left and right eye. The first treatment on my left eye removed the Weiss ring, but I still had a grey blob and enough floaters to go back for a second treatment. This second treatment still left a few prominent floaters, and I went back for the third time. Dr. Johnson applied my second treatment of my right eye to my third treatment of my left eye. I did have a new string floater reforming, however, so in the end, it took four treatments on my left eye to come to some acceptable situation. The improvement is considerable. I would it rate at 80%. The treatment on my right eye removed the Weiss ring and left my right eye's central vision clear, although I still have a cloudy floater on top. I would rate my right eye at 80% as well. Dr. Johnson is personable, takes pride in what he does, and deserves way more credit than he is getting. This takes skill and is way more challenging than people estimate. When Dr. Johnson talks about managing expectations, he wants you to know he is doing his absolute utmost best, but it's unpredictable, and every eye is different. Is my vision perfect? No, not at all. I may go back in a couple of weeks to clean up remaining debris and small floaters in my left eye and maybe do the right eye top floater, but for now, I feel immensely grateful. I can concentrate on work again, and enjoy my day to day life, without black spider webs dancing in front of my central vision. For me, it was money very well spent, and the first step I would recommend before considering a vitrectomy. And please, do not fall prey to the countless scammers out there trying to sell you supplements, drops, or exercises for your eyes. They are not going to get rid of your floaters. Thank you, Dr. Johnson! You gave me my life back! Update 6/4/18 Unfortunately, I have a string floater that reformed in my left eye's central vision and will be making an appointment soon. I still have hope that eventually I will be able to get my vision to an acceptable condition and not have to return anymore to Dr. Johnson. It's still going to be less expensive than a limited vitrectomy that was quoted to me close to $10,000. Oh, did I mention to you I also suffer from tinnitus? Six years already. Honestly, I prefer the tinnitus over the eye floaters. At least, it's consistent. read more

I have suffered from floaters since I was eighteen. I was told to live with it. About 4 years ago at the age of 48, I got a big floater in my right eye. I was devastated, knowing before doctors had told me to live with it. I cried and was so depressed. Everytime I looked out this big glob would float right into my field of vision. I thought there must be something someone can do. I searched the internet and found Dr. Johnson. To make a long story short , Dr. Johnson zapped the big floater away. Its gone. I am sooo grateful to him. He was my only hope and he delivered. He is the BEST. Do not hesitate to call him. He is very friendly and nice and very very meticulous and smart. read more

My experience with The Floater Doctor was an unfortunate waste of money, time and a heartbreaking disappointment. My floaters are now much much worse after the 3-YAG laser treatments. I will now be seeking a FOV vitrectomy as a result of the YAG surgery and the dark "REFORMERS" that appeared the next day. REFORMERS is a term James Johnson mentioned AFTER the 1st procedure. BTW the disclaimers he verbally uses and I signed off on are too numerous to mention. Details: MY EXPERIENCE- It's scary to be sure but I was hopeful that "sure - shot" Johnson (in his own words "I'm just a guy with a laser") would eliminate the protein material in my vitreous obstructing my central vision. As you sit there in his chair and he's blasting away you see dark dripping stuff inside your vitreous, and I'm thinking hopefully it's the same protein that's cluttering up my vision, right?. Afterwards, you are literally bind in the eye that he works on from overexposure to the slit lamp, but only temporarily, soon after that you are ecstatic in that you feel like you are cured because your vision is completely Floater Free. Fantastic! Right? Guess what? The next morning I woke up with floaters from hell. Really dark ones, like a cracked windshield that somehow tar had gotten into the cracks. REFORMERS he called them. I was like what? you mean they are back only worse? How can that be, I thought you vaporized them? Interestingly, the new floaters are the same solid brown color as that drippy stuff I saw when I was in the chair while he was blasting away. He previously said that residue vacates the eye? I am wondering about that. Anyway, I had 3 procedures hoping each time my situation would improve but it didn't. His YAG treatments must work for some people or how could he stay in business, his only business BTW. He is not a retinal specialist. He employs no secretary, no waiting room, no nurses, it's just you and The Floater Doctor. Weird experience. Talk about uncomfortable. I'm 62, my floaters had built up in the last few years, clear ones, in both eyes translucent for the most part, now they are dark opaque like a tree branch constantly obstructing my central vision. I don't believe I was a candidate for the YAG treatments and now am stuck needing a vitrectomy. Perhaps you should consider the same. Read up! The FOV Floater Only Vitrectomy works, and that is what I should have done. I spent $2K plus airfare and hotel. Bad decision on my part. It'll take a while to live down chancing it with the experimental laser eye surgeon Dr. James "The Floater Doctor" Johnson. Be Forewarned. Ken - Seattle read more

Having had a posterior vitreous detachment in the left eye over 20 years ago, I was stuck with one very large floater, plus a general haze of sorts, which would frequently cross into my central vision, making my work, that of a show band pianist in a fairly stressful sight reading situation, considerably more difficult. Other tasks, such as driving, were also adversely affected. had heard some vague references to laser treatment for floaters, but only recently thought to research it and see if and where there may be some opthalmologists who actually performed this procedure. Long story short, I ended up going to Dr. Johnson for what ended up being three consecutive days of laser treatment. The treatments lasted about one hour each. They were at times somewhat tiring and stressful (For doctor and patient alike in this case - Dr. Johnson told me later that mine was one of the worst cases he'd ever treated), but after that hour, it's done, and nothing to do other than wait for the dilating drops to wear off. There were no restrictions on activities. There is no pain at all, during the procedure or afterward. It is simply like looking into extremely bright lights for an hour. Compared to the pain, swelling, recovery time, and uncertainty over the final result of an FOV, this was a walk in the park. Results were very good, although I may go back in future for some more cleaning up of smaller floaters. But most importantly, the haze effect is gone, the largest of the floaters is cut roughly in half, and since it doesn't have the "Hazy aura" that it did previously, it doesn't pose as much of a problem, even when it does enter my line of sight. With the laser treatment, going back for future "Cleanups" is easy. With a vitrectomy, you get what you get, and that's what you're stuck with. With most of the debris gone, my vision in the left eye is as good as, if not better than, it has ever been. YAG laser vitreolysis certainly worked out well in my case, and I would urge anyone considering a FOV to also check into this alternative. Dr. Johnson is extremely meticulous in examination, patient education, and laser operation. I felt relaxed and confident going in, and am thus far very pleased with the result. It's been one week now, and things keep improving as the small speck-like floaters that remain settle out of my field of vision. At this point, it's all good! Kudos to Dr. J! read more

My experience with Dr. James Johnson was great from the information on his web site, to the consultation, to the treatment process and results. I had a large (at least to me) bothersome floater in my right eye that my opthamologist at back home said I would "just have to live with it". No referral to, or even discussion of the fact that there are a few doctors out there that treat this condition. That was over 3 years ago. I did my own research online and found Dr. Johnson's practice in Irvine, CA. I travelled there to his office (located very conveniently near the Orange County Airport), and he went through the entire process, explaining how floaters form and how the YAG laser treatment is able to literally destroy the floater. Most importantly, he discussed the risks of the procedure (minor for most people) and was not pushy in the least about going ahead and doing it until I was ready. He was able to totally treat my floater and now I do not have that nasty visual distraction. No side effects either. read more

Dr. Johnson is one of the best doctors I have ever met. His skills in treating floaters and his compassion for patients are truly exceptional. Earlier this year, I was treated by another doctor who caused more floaters and injured my eye. After being treated by Dr. Johnson, I have had significant improvement. Dr. Johnson has my utmost respect and I would highly recommend him. read more

My story begins with a frightening drive home. Flashing in my eye resulted in me warning my daughter to stop playing with a laser pointer. Even as I said it, I knew she did not have a laser pointer and I was having serious vision problems. Floaters drew an opaque curtain with dark spots down across the vision in my right eye. The floaters did not settle down. My vision was no longer crystal clear and I was looking through various shape and size floaters moving around inside my right eye. Overnight I lost ability to read small font size print. It was time for Google. I found the mainstream treatment, vitrectomy, an invasive procedure that carries multiple complications such as retinal tears and detachments. It also carried a 50% to 78% risk of developing cataracts. I was not ready or willing to take this risk. I also found an alternative treatment of laser ablation of the floaters. There are only three providers who specialize in laser treatment of floaters and only one provider, Dr Johnson, was a prolific writer. I read all the postings on Dr. Johnson's website and watched his youtube videos. I also read about the pros and cons about the surgery. I waited nearly a year before flying to California to meet with Dr Johnson on a Friday. The first visit was nearly two hours long. Dr Johnson provided an extensive explanation of the possible diagnoses and complications for nearly 75 minutes while we waited for my eyes to dilate. This was the most extensive consult I ever experienced. His explanations were balanced and they included an explanation of all the risks. He examined me and I learned I had a Weiss ring from a post vitreous detachment. Based on the information I was given, I felt comfortable with my decision to move forward with the treatment, which occurred that visit. After this initial treatment, I experienced a 60% improvement in my vision. The following Monday's treatment brought me to about 80% improvement and a third treatment on Tuesday brought me to 90-95% improvement. I am pleased with the outcome and the experience. The most valuable part of this experience was the fact that I had a lot of information that I needed to make an informed decision about my healthcare. Thanks to the skill of Dr Johnson I have my sight back. I give Dr. Johnson my highest personal recommendation for anyone considering the procedure he offers. read more