If you don't want to use a substitution or the dot command as suggested by the other answers your best bet is probably to create a macro which you can use when your cursor is next to a dot.

You can record the macro

    qaf.vc->^[q

Which will go to the following dot on the line (`f.`) visually select it (`v`) and replace it (`c->`).

Now when you navigate your code and you spot a dot which should be changed you can call the macro with <kbd>@</kbd><kbd>a</kbd>.

You can even put that in your `.vimrc` to keep the macro between you different coding sessions:

    let @a="f.vc->^["

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**Edit** @grochmal suggested in the comments to use a second register to have a backward moving macro which seems pretty useful:

    let @e="F.vc->^["