  Defects play an important role in a number of fields dealing with ordered
structures. They are often described in terms of their topology, mutual
interaction and their statistical characteristics. We demonstrate theoretically
and experimentally the possibility of an active manipulation and removal of
defects. We focus on the spontaneous formation of two-dimensional spatial
structures in a nonlinear optical system, a liquid crystal light valve under
single optical feedback. With increasing distance from threshold, the
spontaneously formed hexagonal pattern becomes disordered and contains several
defects. A scheme based on Fourier filtering allows us to remove defects and to
restore spatial order. Starting without control, the controlled area is
progressively expanded, such that defects are swept out of the active area.
