My husband had it done on Sept. 30. This will be long because I was the caregiver - not a pretty sight. If you are in the U.S. or Europe you will be able to rent much better recovery equipment than that that is available in Toronto, Canada - and also there is more of it! The most horrible part for me was having to have my husband come home the same day - apparently back in the day, they kept you for a few days. You will want to add to your equipment rental the piece for keeping head in the face down position in the car. Patient is sent home wearing an eye patch. Patient should be in back seat so no chance of being hit in face if air bag deploys. Then you have to go back next day - we had to leave at 6:00 a.m. - everyone who had the surgery same day as husband had same appointment next morning. They check the gas bubble - and have you read an eye chart and look for further tears in the eye - which they will laser if developed overnight. Then you have to get home again and sit in the chair during the day - and the face down position in the chair has to be the right one - sort of looking at your belly-button. Some doctors will say you can sit up to eat - others say to try and stay in face down position as much as you can - except for when you have to apply the horrible eye drops - one of which will be Prednisone which can affect one's moods (my husband didn't believe me on this). Food wise, think soft stuff - buy a kid's Sippy cup with a lid and a straw to avoid spillage. I bought apple sauce in little containers, yogourts, made scrambled eggs, porridge etc. - anything to prevent choking while in the position. You will want to avoid hot beverages. Also can't lift anything weighing over 5 lbs. for a couple of months. My husband had to sit in chair and use equipment for sleeping for a week and then go for another follow-up. The dog went to the boarders because whether a kid or a dog, when they see Daddy's face hanging down they become upset and want to hug - and that would be game over. You will also get a Prism type of device that affixes to chair to help you see "up and around". My husband has bad eyesight and his lenses for his glasses cost about $1,100 Cdn. - before the frames. He has a very thin retina and is a prime candidate for a Detached Retina - which would mean he would "bump" someone who is booked for a Vitrectomy - and many people do get bumped so be prepared. Many people travel from all over Ontario to Toronto for this surgery and rent the equipment, set it up in a hotel room, and then the surgery is cancelled. Toronto only has I think 18 rental chairs so you need to be set up soon. In the U.S. the chairs are much more user friendly as is the sleeping "pillow". A couple of days before surgery you will need to buy some drops and start using them so that eye is prepared for surgery. In Canada you have to take the used drops to hospital day of surgery and turn them in - they will exchange them for fresh ones. Under no circumstances allow the drop bottles to get infected - this happens so easily and then major complications can result. There is a lot of boredom obviously - my husband's chief worry was not being able to watch TV - well since he can't see a foot in front of his face without his glasses, that wasn't about to happen. Many people can see without their glasses - just using the one eye - he isn't one of them. I rented books on tape etc. But still what is a week out of your life - plus having to take it easy for a few months, compared to going blind. Unfortunately his surgery did not go as well as hoped. Certainly he expected a cataract to develop within 1 1/2 years - actually, originally the doctor wanted to wait until the cataract developed before doing the Vitrectomy but his eye deteriorated too much in between his 3 month appointments. And despite what people think about Cdn. healthcare, our provincial plan will not pay the $150 he has to pay every 3 months for the special eye test - and neither will his office work plan. His office plan would not pay for his rehab equipment either. I did speak with them and the fellow pointed out that for people with family coverage we have had very few claims. See where not taking lots of prescription meds gets you! Couldn't believe it. He started to develop the cataract in Jan. - so just 3 months post surgery. Surgeon suggested he see his ophth to ask for a stronger prescription (is there one?) but I expected the ophth to say that the cataract would have to develop and be removed first - and sadly, I was right. My husband just turned 60 which is young for this procedure, without having diabetes or as a result of an accident. I did meet a lady in the waiting room - his age - and still working who must also travel for work. You absolutely cannot fly for 6 - 8 weeks post surgery - and certainly not until the bubble dissipates. She had been booked for the surgery once before and then day of they decided she didn't need it. So she went for her regular exam - and surprise, she had to book the Vitrectomy again. Her eyes are exactly the same as my husband's - has practically the same prescription - and also is in danger of suffered a Detached Retina. She also is wondering if her eyes could withstand a second Vitrectomy. The hospital in Toronto is a teaching hospital - as you are being examined the chief surgeon grills the junior surgeon about other patients - it is like an episode of House. All of the people in the waiting room were equally frustrated. I managed to get one answer by waving my car keys and asking who besides me could drive. Make sure you have transportation to and from the hospital - they will ask you this and if you say you will be driving yourself you will be cancelled. Then there was the lady who ate a big breakfast because she would be hungry - well she deserved to be cancelled. I went and had my eyes tested just before his surgery for first time in 10 years - thankfully still 20/20 and my optometrist warned me that it would not be easy - and that she agreed they should keep the patients for a few days or at least overnight. If you are not the patient, be prepared for a grumbly one. Since patient will have to take the drops for a few months, the Pred will affect moods - not to extent that oral Pred will, but enough. I was ready to have my dog's vet right a note to my husband. Do everything you can to make sure patient does not suffer from a cold before surgery or it will be cancelled - I know, easier said than done. I had my husband locked up in the house for 3 days pre-surgery and stuffed him with every anti-oxidant known to mankind. So if you have a dog, can't be picked up; can't shovel snow; can't rake leaves - the list goes on. Can't get the eye wet - forget washing hair - if hair is short just run a damp washcloth over it; forget shaving if a man; if you have a shower that has a detachment so that you can just spray over body use that - otherwise freshen with baby wipes. Also you won't want to pull anything over head. Get some extra large pyjama tops and since you have to sleep on stomach you don't want to roll over. Some people tried tennis balls but they didn't work - I read a tip to use big Chip Clips - they worked - husband tried to roll over in sleep and the Clips woke him up. Try to keep off stairs as well - if possible stay on same floor as bathroom. As awful as it sounds, while I was at the store buying Sippy cup I bought a male urinal to minimize trips to bathroom. My husband at age 60 and 6 ft. in height weighs same as when he was 25 - 170 lbs. - with a huge appetite. He would eat more for breakfast post surgery than you would eat in a week and at noon was demanding his lunch. Even then he lost weight - what goes in comes out -so I was trying to minimize the number of trips from the chair. Also bought an adult bib that clipped at shoulders to help with spills and a speaker phone that I placed at his feet so that he could speak on phone. THE ONLY GOOD NEWS is that as bad as cataract surgery is - it is minor compared to a Vitrectomy - and you can sleep on your back. My husband has his father's eyes - blue - only one of 5 siblings to inherit them. But his 50 year old sister with brown eyes can see clearly through his lenses, so if I were her I would worry. My husband's night vision is nearly zip - thankfully mine is perfect at night. When the car falls apart we won't replace it - you can take a lot of taxis for the price even of insurance and maintenance not to mention the cost of the car and in this economy - well probably the best thing. I personally will miss the car and if it were me with the bad vision my husband would not consider going without a car. But you do what you have to do. It is my husband's left eye that is the problem so changing lanes is the devil. Funny thing is is that it is my family that suffers from diabetes and they all wear glasses - but I don't. Best of luck to you or the patient. Just remember - short term pain for ability to see. The chair provider told me that some clients only used the chair for a day instead of the prescribed one to two weeks and then needed the procedure done again - they were warned by the surgeon but didn't listen. We do not have family who could visit to give my husband (and me) a break. If you do, that would help a great deal. It is a very good thing that my husband wore contacts for many years so had no problem putting in the drops - I wouldn't be able to get one drop in.

My son in law had it done when he was only 42 as his retina was in peril of detaching. He also had a buckle surgery subsequently. He is 52 now and doing VERY well. He doesn't wear glasses unless he's doing close up work. After the vitrectomy he had to stay with his parents as my daughter had to work. She was thankful to them that they were so willing and good to him. It was hard for him but he never complained. He'd have done anything to save his vision. I hope this encourages you. Good luck.

Thank you both.

Eccentric, this is worse than I imagined! Your post didn't encourage me, but I want to know the good, bad, and ugly, so I appreciate the detail. Your poor husband's body must have been aching after that ordeal.

The doctor is watching my eye to see if it is getting worse, and she warned me that the surgery may be in my future. She told me 3 days "in the position." I wonder why it's less time than your husband. Maybe because I have a partial hole and his was worse.

I am horrified at the thought of being so incapacitated for even 3 days. How on earth can a person sleep after a whole day of doing absolutely nothing? Take sleeping pills?

Can I walk around bent over to go to the bathroom and just get some exercise? I know I'll find all this out if/when the time comes.

I looked at a website that rents a variety of the equipment--chair, bed arrangements, etc. I just decided I want one of everything they have!! LOL! I can see there needs to be good preparation for this, and I only have DH to help me, and men really aren't very nurturing as a general rule.
So I figure I'll do as you suggested and get some prepared stuff that he can just bring me without "fixing" much. Books on tape, maybe I can even read in the chair, listen to music, maybe play a handheld video game? Please?

Again, thanks for the gruesome details. I don't like surprises, especially bad ones. I'm whiney and complaining, I know. It could be so much worse, and it's important to look on the bright side of things, but I feel a lot better now.

socks, I had this operation on January 14 of this year--so just about 7 weeks ago. The doctor explained that a gas bubble may need to be inserted in the eye, and that I might have to sleep for awhile on my stomach (there was never talk about renting certain equipment). As it turned out, the surgery went very well and I didn't need to have the gas bubble inserted. I was home in a few hours and doing just fine. I live alone, so a friend stayed with me for 24 hours. I had a follow up doctor appointment the next morning. After that there was a little mild pain and discomfort for about 5 days, but the pain meds helped. I had to wear an eye patch at night and take a series of drops. I stayed inside for about 6-7 days, more out of choice than necessity, but after 2-3 days I was working on the computer, reading, and doing all the usual stuff. My eye is still just slightly red, and I still use drops twice per day. No one is fully sure how much of my sight I'll get back in the eye but the doctor states that it takes 6 mos. to a year to know exactly the result of the surgery. But I just wanted to tell you--unlike the above posts--that my vitrectomy was literally a piece of cake!

That's wonderful that you didn't have to have a facedown recovery, Marita.

The special equipment is chairs or devices that go on the bed so that you can rest your head in a facedown position but also breathe, would be something like a massage table with a hole for your face.

Thanks for your reply. Best wishes for continued recovery of your vision.

socks - hated to be voice of doom and gloom! But in desperation I had posted same question on a pet forum I frequent and a lady in Ottawa had just been caregiver for her mother sho basically told me the possible horror stories so I would be prepared and was! marita as very lucky not to have to assume the position. Some people go in not planning to have the gas bubble but end up having to have it and then need to scramble for the equipment. Re the 3 days in face down, that sounds much better, but remember, my husband thought he wouldn't need the surgery for at least a year or 2 - but at 3 month check-up his eye had deteriorated to extent that surgery was scheduled for the next cycle - 2 months away - if not, the surgeon was afraid he would 100^ for sure lose the sight in his left eye. I am sorry you are the patient - women make better caregivers than men (in most cases!) - I know for sure that had I been the patient my husband would have gone to coffee shop 100% certain that I would obey the rules - whereas he couldn't be trusted. Yes, you can walk in bent over position to bathroom etc. - it is just being in the correct bent over position. Hopefully you can see out of your other eye well enough to watch TV etc. Since my husband can't boredom was worse. As far as sleeping goes, he can fall asleep standing up - I am the insomniac here. Nothing knocks me out. I meant to mention the sunglasses that you can buy to wear over your regular frames. You may know of them already. The lady in Ottawa told me about them and now I see them on so many people. You need to have your regular glasses with you as that will determine the size you will need to buy - it isn't based on your face/head size. They really help with the light issue blazing in your eyes - and many people get them as well after cataract surgery. I bought my husband 2 pair just in case. I expect that like him you will need to go for checkups every 3 months or so to determine how you are doing. Re the equipment, yep, I would get everything. Hopefully, in your case your surgery will be as minor as it can be. I guess I am grateful that he didn't need to have the Buckle - I read all about that. There are a couple of good Vitrectomy sites - I deleted them unfortunately since I became such an unwilling expert. I will watch this forum to see how your eye situation develops!

i'd never heard of this procedure, so looked it up... neither site mentions the aftercare! but just in case you'd like to learn...

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/vitrectomy

I'm not sure which maladies require vitrectomy. Would it be to relieve "retinal membrane"? I have developed a retinal membrane and will likely face surgery for it in a few years.

ps: To see a description of sugery for retinal membrane, go to Medmd.com.

Yes, I've been researching and will continue, but to hear from people who have been through it really helps a lot too.

As I understand it, I have a macular hole in the back of my eye. When they insert an air bubble into the eye and the patient "assumes the position," the bubble presses against the hole or partial hole, and over a period of time it causes the hole to close up or at least improve.

I have a dr. appt. in 7 weeks to take more pictures of the retina to see if it is getting worse. I'm worrying in advance, I guess. She took time to tell me about the vitrectomy, so I believe there is a good possibility that it will be necessary.

Thanks Susan for the link. WEBMD is really good.

Jemdandy, I don't know about retinal membrane, but my dr. did say the words "epiretinal membrane," so maybe that's your condition too.

Susan

Socks, my sister-in-law had this surgery in December. She had the gas bubbles and only the equipment involved was the eye patch she wore for about at week and a orange wrist band that she had to wear. The wrist band was to warn anyone that she was not to be allowed on an air plane because of the gas bubbles. She was out Christmas shopping a few days after the surgery wearing her eye patch.

Old thread I know. But to me it's new. And helpful.

My simultaneous vitrectomy for a macular hole and cataract surgery is set for September in Toronto. One hour, says my surgeon and I will be awake, but so "out of it" it won't be a problem. (Easy for him to say!)

He says there is an 80%-90% chance this will improve the vision in my affected eye. (The eye is now only useful for peripheral assistance.) The scary part is that persons with this concern in one eye have a 10%-20% chance of it affecting the other eye as well.

We were in the midst of selling our home, but managed to wiggle out of the full price offer.

My surgeon has told me that I will need to be face down for two weeks on an 80%-20% basis. I figure if I can force sleep for eight hours (usually I sleep six) that gives me 18 minutes a waking hour of postural normality. Hopefully I'll be up to doing a couple of slow walks around our yard.

I was aware of the painful eye drops, but not the drug effects. Nor of the 5lb limitation. Yikes! I'm a heavy-iron type oldster at the gym. At least, getting back into shape will be a challenging goal afterwards. I could not even bear the thought of contacts. Now, I'm having a stranger take sharp instruments to my eye!

I'm so sorry to hear about this. It's distressing to think of being face down for two weeks. I wonder if you could walk around the house bent over. That would sure help.

You can do a search for "face down equipment." I would want one of each thing they offer....just kidding. Maybe you can watch tv, read, surf the net somehow. Sleeping might be tough after such an inactive day. I've always avoided sleeping pills, but they could be a big help.

My doctor has not mentioned the surgery again, and I hope she never will! So I have not had to have it (yet).

I do wish you well. Keep the prize in mind: your vision.

Since this thread was started by socks, and she has asked me to delete my comment as "off topic" (even though it was regarding an aspect of the first reply), I will.

But you know, I see dozens of threads go way off topic and range far and wide, and I don't see socks complaining about that. Clearly I am not in the "in" crowd.

Had it TWICE. Long time ago. First one was in May 1990 and the second was December of the same year. Retinal detachments in each eye. Buckles installed in both. NEITHER required the face-down recovery even though I had expected it.

Colleen, how about you see if your post can be deleted? It's far off topic. All due respect, ok? :-)

I wonder if you could walk around the house bent over. etc.

Yes, one of my questions for the pre-op appointment! Not even sure yet if I'm allowed to read or watch videos/tv. The vitrectomy chair rental comes with a reverse mirror for that purpose.

After eccentric's detailed post, I am prepared for the worst. But what she didn't say is whether her spouse recovered his vision.

My hubby had this surgery done about 15 years ago. He was told he would have a vitrectomy and no other information about what would happen afterwards. So after the surgery the doc comes out and gives us the speel about sleeping face down and looking down when sitting in a chair etc etc. Now my hubby is a very large man..no way in the world he could sleep face down it is physically impossible unless he wants to smother. Also we had planned to leave the next day on a vacation to visit my sister in Iowa which is 1000 miles away. So my hubby says if he has to sit looking down he would just as soon do it in the car and while we visit my sis rather than cancel the trip. So that is what we did and he was fine. I am not recommending that you ignore your docs warning but ours came much too late and we had no planning time as it turns out all was well

Joann

My husband had this done last year so the surgeon could access the giant retinal tear.

The tear was so big the gas bubble wouldn't hold it flat so he had to have a heavy fluid put in and that stayed for 10 days during which time he had to remain flat on his back.

Then he had to have a second surgery to remove the fluid and replace it with a gas bubble.

He didn't have to be positioned face down, he had to be on his left side at night and upright during the day with no reclining or laying flat. He had to stay like that for I think it was a week, maybe 2. No lifting, no exertion.

Absolutely no flying or any other extreme pressure changes until the gas bubble is fully gone! We went to an indoor pool that was pressurized and he was only in there for a few minutes and his eye started throbbing so he left.

He had the initial surgery in April, the pool was in June. I think the bubble was finally gone by the end of July.

Reporting back one month and five days after surgery.

The procedure itself was a breeze. I only recalled being awake the last few minutes of the one hour. No pain whatsoever. Just a numbness on the forehead for a few hours afterwards, much less than from dental work!

Yes, the one week of strict downward positioning and enforced inactivity was a bore. Never had time move so s--l--o--w--l--y! On the plus side, I got to know of every radio talk show host on air.

Waking hours, I alternated between the vitrectomy chair or standing head bent at a railing or slung over the back of the couch like a cat at rest.

There are a number of variations. If you wish to read or use a laptop computer or watch TV (via a small reverse mirror), check out exactly what options are available from your supplier. The chair above comes with a support for reading etc. Plus, the headrest expands so the user can wear glasses if necessary. The one I was shipped had none of these options.

Night-time was the hardest--on the vitrectomy pad and head contraption: face down, my hands grasping the sides. I managed two hours at a time, up to four at the end. Never could sleep more than 4 hours altogether, vs. my usual six hours. Great though for vivid dreaming!

This is the type I used, except I moved the blocks underneath to the sides so I could grasp them. There are many variations that you might find more comfortable. For instance, I hung my legs off the back of the bed; some pads include another angled pad to raise your lower legs.

The second week, I was able to position normally during the day, but had to sleep on my side; I jammed myself onto the couch.

mrs. worthy administered the eye drops. Frequently and copious on a strict schedule as little as two hours apart the first day after surgery. But not painful at all.

The bubble blocked vision, other than perception of light and dark, for a couple of weeks, gradually dissipating by the end of the third week.

The good news: After the fourth followup exam, my surgeon declared the hole repaired. However, full clear (corrected) vision will take a year or so to return, he says. I can drive safely, but reading is all with the other eye.

The anticipation was much worse than the actuality!

Really appreciated all the useful information. I am going to have the surgery next month to remove tissue scar at macula area. I want to know if anybody has done the surgery at Scarborough Hospital. How is that? Thanks.

Worthy, great report back. I'm sure it will be helpful to anyone who checks this thread, so thank you for taking time. It's a horrifying thought to active people to be so Inactive for so long. Being bedridden on your back might be better, but the face down is rough. I started the thread years ago because I thought I might need the surgery, but so far it has not been needed (fingers crossed). But definitely worth the inconvenience for your vision, and It's good to know you got through it ok.

Best wishes to Chung He for a successful procedure. Please feel free to come back and fill us in on how it went.