HOW LONG?

HOW LONG DID MOST PEOPLE STAY IN BED AFTER VITECTOMY ( macular hole) SURGERY? I KNOW YOU HAVE TO STAY FACE DOWN BUT DOES THAT MEAN YOU HAVE TO STAY IN BED OR IN YOUR CHAIR? CAN YOU WALK AROUND I CAN ASK MY DR. BUT I WAS WONDERING ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE DID. IF YOU CAN SEE WITH ONE GOOD EYE CANT YOU DRIVE? THIS IS SILLY BUT DONT YOU THINK THAT IF I HOLD MY HEAD DOWN I CAN CLEAN MY CAT BOX LETTER OUT.

[AnnaE]

You must listen to your doctor. Usually several weeks.

Ask him to explain why you must be face down, etc.
My doctor did not tell me why, and I would have felt far less confused and frustrated, had I known. I had retinal attachment. You must keep the glass bubble in contact with the macula, so that the doctor's work on you eye will stay in place.

Get your supplies ready--good nutritious food, things you want to listen to--be creative.. Don't forget people to read to you, help you, and give you losts of support. Also, I had medication to help me relax. Ask your surgeon about this.

I do not think you can drive. The less you do, the better chance you eye will have to recover. Hire someone to clean the cat box, or barter favors with someone..

The doctor will read your question, also.

Preparation will help you get through this. I cannt stress the importance of preparation.and support.

I love photographs. One thing I did was sort photograps (with my head down). Be creative.

Best of luck.

[AnnaE]

You can also go to vitrectomy solutions.com, and read the education there.Do a google search and a search her on face down macular hole. My first two surgeries were emergencies. I could not read. I knew little about my conditions, except for recognizing the sysmptoms that got me to the doctor.

I had no support, no help, and I could not read about what was happening. I felt so confused and lost.

[JodieJ]

As AnneE stated, questions about your recovery should be addressed to your surgeon.  Not everyone must maintain a face down position post vitrectomy.  I did not.  My surgery was in the morning.  After lunch that day, I walked over to the local multiplex (wearing an eye patch), and I ended up staying for two movies.  (I know this sounds a little bizarre, but watching movies is my favorite way to relax, and my surgeon didn't object.)

My surgeon thought it would be fine for me to drive myself to my appointment with him the next day.  It was a little disorienting driving with an eye patch in city traffic, and I'm not sure that I'd recommend it.  Once the patch was removed my spatial orientation improved a lot, and I had no problems driving (although my vision was blurry in my affected eye.)  

[alonred]

Did you the same surgery? Did you have to face down?

[JodieJ]

No, my vitrectomy was not to repair a macular hole.  But everyone who has macular hole surgery does not need to stay face down.  Does your surgeon anticipate that you will need to remain face down post surgery?  If so, for how long?  Try to get as much information about your anticipated recovery from your surgeon and his/her staff now, so you can make some preparations.  (Yes, you can drive with one eye but not in a face down position.)  

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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