If you have a medical oil called 'Silicone oil; in your eye you should avoid lying flat on your back whilst the oil remains in the eye, this is to reduce the risk of the oil seeping into the front part of the eye causing the eye pressure to become unstable.
You need to maintain a specific head position for at least three days after surgery. You will need to sleep with head tilted to the side opposite to where the retina break is found at the time of surgery to allow the gas bubble to keep the retina in place around the break area until the retina seals in that area.
You can discard your eye shield the morning after your cataract surgery, but it's still advisable to sleep on your back for a couple of weeks so your eye doesn't come into contact with your pillow and pick up any particles from it. This will help your eye to heal and reduce the risk of infection.
After the retina has been treated, the space in your eye is refilled with a gas bubble or silicone oil to help the retina reattach or the hole to close. Keeping your head in this face down position allows the bubble or oil to remain in the correct position so it heals as quickly and effectively as possible.
It is recommended to sleep on either side or even your front, but not sleep on your back as that would make the bubble move away from the macular hole.
Do not lie flat on your back until the gas has been fully absorbed: this can be up to eight weeks; this varies depending on the concentration and type of gas we have used.
Introduction. Prone positioning for gas tamponade after retinal detachment is important for retinal reattachment. Ophthalmologists always tell these patients to maintain the prone position as much as possible for 1–2 months if gas remains in the posterior chamber.
For the first 2 weeks, do not bend below your waist, move suddenly, do any straining or lifting more than 10 lbs. Bending should always be from the knees, to keep your head above the heart. Dr. Stelton will be very specific with your positioning requirements after surgery if it is required.
Don't do things where you might move your head. This includes moving quickly, lifting anything heavy, or doing activities such as cleaning or gardening. You will probably need to take 2 to 4 weeks off from work.
During the post-operative period: Your eye may be uncomfortable for several weeks, particularly if a scleral buckle has been used. Your vision will be blurry – it may take some weeks or even three to six months for your vision to improve.
When it comes to sleep, the best way to reduce pain and your risk of developing a post-procedural complication is to sleep on your back with a pillow placed under your knees. This provides the cervical and thoracic spine with much-needed support, which may ease your post-surgery pain.
Rest and sleep with your head raised on 2 to 3 pillows for 2 weeks or as directed by your surgeon. This will help prevent swelling at your surgical sites.
take it easy for the first 2 to 3 days. use your eye shield at night for at least a week. take painkillers if you need to. bathe or shower yourself as usual.
You should avoid exercising for at least 2 weeks following your surgery. You may resume normal activities, little by little. After week 1, you may start by walking as much as a mile. You may advance to 2 miles, in the second week and can typically run by week six.
In the 7 to 10 days after the operation, the gas bubble slowly starts to shrink. As this happens, the space that was taken up by the gas fills with the natural fluid made by your eye, and your vision should start to improve. It generally takes 6 to 8 weeks for the gas to be absorbed and vision to improve.
However, we do recommend wearing sunglasses or prescription glasses during the day and a fox shield over the operated eye at night when sleeping for the first week after surgery.
You must not drive or operate machinery within 24 hours of having any anesthetic or sedation. If you were driving before the surgery, and your vision has not changed or is improved, you can drive 48 hours after the surgery if you feel visually comfortable.
If you have a retinal detachment, you may need surgery to reattach your retina to the back of your eye within a few days. After surgery, you may need to stay in the hospital for a short time — and it might take a few weeks before your vision starts getting better.
Following retinal detachment surgery, it is important that flying is completely avoided until your eye has fully healed. This is usually for 3 to 4 weeks after surgery but possibly longer after some retinal detachment surgeries. Sometimes during surgery, a gas bubble is used to help keep the retina in place.
It is normal to feel itching and have sticky eyelids and mild discomfort (gritty sensation due to the stitches) in the operated eye for five to ten days following retinal detachment surgery. It is also common for some fluid to leak from around your eye.
“High eye pressure can interfere with the incision before it fully heals,” says Eghrari. “Positions that put your head below your waist, such as bending over, can also increase eye pressure and should be avoided initially after surgery.”
During the recovery time, you won't be able to do normal activities like reading and watching TV for a few days because you'll have blurry vision. You still might need to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses for reading. After a few days, the lens of the eye will heal, and you'll be able to read.
You can read or watch TV right away, but things may look blurry. Most people are able to return to work or their normal routine in 1 to 3 days. After your eye heals, you may still need to wear glasses, especially for reading.