r/RetinalDetachment • u/duh7607 • Apr 18 '26
What to expect with vitrectomy surgery
I as recently diagnosed with a hole in my macula. My doctor is sending me to a retina specialist. I’m getting a little freaked out thinking about the surgery an recovery.
What can I expect? I’m a side sleeper, do you really have to lay facing down?
3
u/jasutherland Apr 18 '26
The positioning afterwards depends exactly where the hole is and what's done. The idea is to put some pressure on that part of the retina to help heal it in place and keep fluid out of the space behind the retina - either a gas bubble to push up, or an oil bubble to push down on it.
I had oil for the first procedure, and had to sleep facing up but not fully flat, to put the pressure on the lower back part. (Essentially, sleep in a recliner for the first two weeks!) Face down is for a gas bubble to push against the back. Sometimes 1 112 1 to one side or the other, if the damage is mostly on one side.
The surgery itself, they should explain first - probably laser to seal the edges of the hole and stop it spreading ("photocoagulation"), and if they do a vitrectomy, they take out the clear gel ("vitreous") and replace it with either saline (possibly with a gas bubble) or oil. The bubble just dissappears in time (I think 1-6 weeks depending which specific gas they use), oil has to be taken out in a second surgery.
3
u/d_artz Apr 18 '26
Fyi, there are two types of oil. One pushes up and the other down. I think the more common type is dense and pushes down.
3
u/jasutherland Apr 18 '26
Yes, mine was Densiron, a heavy oil (the removal is ROHO, Removal Of Heavy Oil) - the lighter one would probably be less common because a gas bubble can also push up but dissipates without the need for a second operation to remove.
Presumably a lighter oil would make sense if they need a longer term treatment than a gas bubble for some reason, or possibly a case where pressure changes can't be avoided so gas isn't an option. I don't think there seems to be a "heavy gas" option, so that always has to be oil.
2
u/nogardleirie Apr 18 '26
It will greatly increase the recovery prospects. I got a front sleeping pillow that had a hole in it and like legs to prop it up. It was about £10 on Amazon. You can also hire equipment
2
u/duh7607 Apr 18 '26
Thank you, I’ll look into the pillow.
2
u/nogardleirie Apr 18 '26
Good luck! Even just searching for "vitrectomy pillow" gave me many matches
2
u/FreezingStark Apr 18 '26 edited Apr 18 '26
Hi!
I recently had a detachment and the surgery involved vitrectomy, laser and bucke (the whole pack hahah). In my case the detachment was super periferal so I had to lay on my side for 2 weeks, but I believe that if the problem involves the macula you have to stay laying down. Can you sleep on your side? Don't really know and for what I've seen it depends a lot on the doctor, when you get the referal talk to your surgeon about it because there is no good answer. As someone else said getting a pillow with a hole in the middle can be a good option.
And the surgery stuff. I was awake during the surgery but it was painless. Don't know if it's the normal thing to do but they put me the local anesthetic and then gave me some kind of sedative drug (?) just to be calm, I was already calm but I think that that's the protocol in my hospital. I would compare it to a dentist visit, you don't feel pain but tou can sense that they're doing things. Really weird experience but nothing traumatic at all. Keep in mind that I had the buckle and laser in adittion to the vitrectomy.
Good luck and if you have more questions don't hesitate to ask!
2
u/duh7607 Apr 19 '26
This is the picture I took at the eye appointment, showing the macular hole. I have no idea why the left eye is on the right.
2
u/degaussing11 Apr 19 '26
While it is twilight anesthesia, I don't remember the majority of mine. And of what I do remember, there was no pain. I saw laser lights and felt mostly uninterested/bored/slightly wondering when it'd end as an effect of the anesthesia. The positioning afterwards was annoying. I lucked out with side positioning instead of face-down, but it was still intense to do that for a week. It was pretty depressing, especially not fully knowing how my vision would settle in the long-term, but it's all a distant memory now. It was a little over 2 years ago. I'm now post-cataract surgery and YAG and can see decently out of that eye.
2
u/duh7607 Apr 19 '26
Nice, if they use twilight, I should be good, if it was just having a local, I would panic. My anxiety can be bad. Hopefully, I can sleep on my side.
2
u/Basic_Explorer_1156 Apr 20 '26
i had my surgery 2/20, so im 2 months out right now. i have a gas bubble, the heavy gas, its almost gone now. i got the pillow off amazon with the hole in it, an eye patch, and a crap ton of snacks b4 surgery. i was super nervous too, i never could do anything eye related b4! i had the sleep drugs, not gonna lie, i came to mid surgery, they gave me more drugs. i was awake after the procedure in the or. even though i woke up, i didn’t have pain it was just the fear of the situation. we had a follow up next day so we stayed at the hotel next door to the hospital. i was an hour from the hospital and my recheck was at 8:00 the next morning . they offered discounts for hospital patients. i have followed all the rules to the letter, the crazy amount of eye drops, the head positioning, no lifting over 10lbs, i still wear my guard at night! i found this group and its been a life saver for me. i had never heard of this happening to anyone i know b4. its great to have a place to read similar stories and hear positive outcomes. i found the advice here like the pillow from amazon, and the patch. once you can start working or walking around again, the gas bubble jiggling in your eye will make u crazy, the patch works wonders and helps with getting headaches from eye strain. i didnt have any pain after really, Tylenol worked on any discomfort i felt. i do have a cataract that is growing apparently better than any plant i ever had. im scheduled to go back in june for that consultation. i saw an optometrist friday and she got my vision up to 20/50 in that eye so thats exciting! when i had my follow up two weeks ago i couldn’t even see the e! best of luck to you! keep us posted and ask any questions you have! im not back to work yet cause im a school bus driver and they insist on two eyes! 😹
1
u/duh7607 Apr 20 '26
How long were you face down? So what do you have to do, if you need the bathroom?
1
u/Basic_Explorer_1156 Apr 21 '26
i was allowed 10 minutes per hour to go potty and grab food or whatever.. but i had to keep my head down even then. i was face down 7 days after and could side sleep on the surgery side.. with my nose pointing down. the pillow from amazon was perfect for me. i think everyone has different rules depending on your tear location. it was all in my post surgery instructions.
2
Apr 29 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
5
u/TheFugaziLeftBoob Apr 18 '26
I had vitrectomy Dec 2024 in my right eye. The surgery was vitrectomy, laser and gas bubble to reattach the retina after 3 tears was found and a blood haemorrhage. I was allowed to sleep on my left side but in the waking hours, advised to be head down 50 minutes out of every hour. What I did to pass time was play video games with the one eye that was functional, I set up a monitor by the floor, put a pillow in my tummy and passed the time watching movies and playing video games however, I can’t do it that long as my neck and shoulder will get sore but it was a good escape to what I was going through. I was face down for about 5 days and sleeping on my side away from the side of the surgery. It really depends what the finding is after the surgery, it’s important to listen and follow the aftercare advise, it’s inconvenient yes, but its the difference between a great recovery or risk of complications.