Hints for Enduring Face Down Recovery after a Vitrectomy
90You may be prepared for it. I hope so. Otherwise, it can come as quite a nasty surprise after having a surgical procedure called a vitrectomy. I am speaking of face-down recovery or face-down positioning after retinal surgery. The thought of being face-down all day long, and, worse yet, sleeping on one's stomach, fills most patients with dread.
This type of positioning is essential for your surgical recovery after a vitrectomy, especially if you are having a macular hole repaired or your retina has detached. Your surgeon will insert a gas bubble in your eye to replace the vitreous which has been removed, and in order for this gas bubble to exert the right amount of pressure on the macula (the back of the eye), you have to be face-down. This constant pressure on the back of the eye helps the macula to bond and heal.
But it can be absolutely excruciating, boring, and stressful spending time this way,
Isn't there another way?
I had this same question. I thought, no way should anyone have to do this!
Well, in some rare instances, a patient just could not assume this position for long, due to musculoskeletal problems (osteoporosis comes to mind). It is theoretically possible that with a retinal detachment, you wouldn't have to do face-down positioning (because of the location of the tear or detachment), but the overwhelming majority of the time, you'll have to be face-down.
You will have a gas bubble in your eye following surgery, or, less frequently, silicone oil. The gas bubble will disappear completely within weeks, but the silicone oil will be there indefinitely, and will necessitate another surgical procedure to remove it.
If you’re going to have to do this face-down positioning, you need to know some good tips for surviving the ordeal. When I had my vitrectomy a few months ago, I had to spend three days in this position, so I speak from experience.
One positive thought, before I begin!
Note: Before I list a few hints, you MUST know that you can use this time face-down to enhance your creativity. This is not a natural position, now is it?
Years ago, I remember reading that when a writer has a creative block, the best way to unleash new strains of thought is to spend all day lying in a hammock doing nothing! Well, you won’t be doing much during your recovery except watching TV half-heartedly or listening to music, so you might as well let your mind wander where it will.
For instance, my mind came up with a few absurd thoughts while I was face-down. I found myself wishing that I was one of those ancient Egyptians with their impossible anatomy. As an Egyptian, if I wanted to make my eye socket point down, all I would have to do is lie comfortably on my side. But then, what would I do with my feet?
A few hints
- Rent vitrectomy recovery equipment. You may be able to get partial reimbursement from your health insurance on this. Check your policy for a durable medical equipment rental allowance. The vitrectomy chair is especially helpful if you want to spend time watching TV. It is cleverly designed with a mirror which enables TV viewing.
- Unless watching TV, I found the best and most comfortable position for me was putting my head down on one of those satin horseshoe-shaped pillows on top of my card table, which was just the right height. A padded card table is best, because it is easier on your elbows. If your table isn’t padded, you can easily figure out a way to make it padded.
- Make arrangements for someone to be with you all or part of the time. It goes without saying that you won’t be able to prepare meals, so you’ll need some help. You may be able to cope just fine not having anyone there while you are asleep at night. How much help you’ll need depends on how strict the face-down positioning is.
- Have an ample supply of drinking straws, especially if you like to sip on liquids throughout the day.
- For sleeping, a massage table would be very beneficial, since it has a hole where your head goes. If you can borrow one, you’ll probably sleep better.
- For that matter, hiring a massage therapist to massage your neck and shoulders would provide welcome, soothing relief for tight muscles.
- Rub-in analgesics like Ben Gay are helpful for your muscles. Long-acting patches like Tiger Balm provide longer relief.
- Stock up on books on tape from the public library, or have plenty of DVD’s to watch during your recovery. Reading and web-surfing are more difficult, but they can be done, depending on the kind of positioning aids you have available.
- The tissues in your face will get puffy and swollen from being face-down. If you have a horseshoe-shaped form to put your head on, it may also come with a cold pack which you can keep in the freezer and get out from time to time. Positioning your face on the cold pack helps with the swelling.
- If you suffer from seasonal allergies, try not to schedule your surgery during times when you know you’ll have trouble. Having to be face-down will make your stuffy nose and watery eyes much more uncomfortable, and perhaps hamper your breathing.
- When your muscles ache, you can take over-the-counter pain relievers. If you’re miserable, your doctor can prescribe a muscle relaxant. That medicine will make you very drowsy and help you sleep. In fact, during the day, if you occasionally nap in your vitrectomy chair, it’s not a big deal. Just don’t sleep overnight in it.
- If you’re a man, you’ll have the easiest time sleeping face-down. If you’re a flat-chested woman, the same. In fact, if you’re such a female, for once in your life, you’ll be blessedly, blissfully grateful for such anatomy.
- If you’re prone to skin problems and acne, don’t worry too much about the pressure on your face. My forehead is a problem spot for breakouts, but I did not get any pimples following my time spent face-down. But if you’re concerned, just use lots of ice to relieve the swelling in your face.
- Have some good conversations with your spouse, kids, or temporary caregiver. Or, better yet, spend time talking on the phone with
friends whom you rarely see. They won't be distracted, because eye contact won't matter.
It's worth it
As with all things, your best strategy is a positive attitude. Your face-down time will go faster than you expect. Mine was for only three days, but yours may last for two weeks. Either way, you’ll have something to look forward to. When you go to the doctor and he gives you your “get out of jail card”, you will be happy once again to be in the land of the upright. And you’ll know you did a good job to help your eye get well again.
- Cataract Surgery Cost - Dallas/Fort Worth
After doing quite a bit of web research, I've determined that the average cost of cataract surgery in the U.S. is between $3300 - $3500 per eye. But sometimes the cost can be considerably more. It depends... - Crystalens Cost with Cataract Surgery
The cost of a Crystalens may vary widely. Learn how price points are affected by the individual surgeon's philosophy and product packaging. - Save Your Vision With the Amsler Grid
Look at the grid below. Cover your right eye. Stare hard at the spot in the middle of the grid. Ask yourself these questions: Can I see both the corners and sides of the square? Are any of the lines... - Refractive Lens Exchange, a New Alternative to LASIK
As our population ages, so does its eyes. Many Baby Boomers can attest to the difficulties they have with presbyopia (which literally means aging eyes). They either wear readers when they read the... - Vitrectomy: What To Expect with Macular Pucker Surg...
Some surgical procedures are still so new that it is difficult to find enough information on the Internet about them. Such is the case with the macular pucker peel procedure, which has been performed only...
vote upvote downshareprintflag
- Useful (15)
- Funny
- Awesome (1)
- Beautiful (1)
- Interesting
CommentsLoading...
My bride will undergo her second vitrectomy in one year in 2 weeks. She is a beautiful rose but ,alas, she was a much smaller rose when we married 49 years ago, We rented the cusions and mirror,chair etc but my wife cannot sleep on her stomach because , ahem, it gets in the way. I was thinking of getting a large slab of foam rubber and cutting out part to fit her belley. ny advise on this?
Joy,
I hope your experience is OK. I had someone helping me, and they washed my hair while I bent my head down over the sink.
For bathing, I may have been able to take a shower. I don't remember. Seems the best way to keep your head down, anyway.
may 10th is my day -- petrified - renting equipment. ordering food deivery, can you shower - any more advice for me greatly appreciated - this has helped my mental state somewhat
Good reading, I'm going in for my surgery tomorrow. thanks for all of the tips
Pat, you are welcome. May your recovery experience be swift and not too boring.
I also live in North Texas and had cataract surgery in September and October. I now have a macular pucker and I go back next week for a followup to see if it has improved. I suspect not. I was told by my surgeon that I will have to be face down for five days. I'm slowly getting used to the idea. Thank you for this wonderful information. It has been very helpful.
Rosie,
Good luck with your surgery. I hope it goes well for you. It is a pleasure to see another comment on my hub.
Hi everyone,
Thank you for all your tips. I'm having the surgery in 5 days. I'm quite nervous and because of that my surgeon recommended general anaesthesia for which I am extremely grateful. I'm now trying to prepare my room and house. I've called to rent equipment which someone will come and install, and I've downloaded some very cool audiobook app and i might also learn to draw cartoons. I'm very lucky since I live with my family and have lots of younger sisters who will help me out and support me :) againg thanks for the tip I'll use them to prepare.
Dear Heidi, I've prayed for your five-year-old child, for all those on this hub, for all those facing potential sight loss and for those that have vision loss. Peace and more prayers, Justin.
Gayle,
Good luck with your surgery. Thanks for reading.
I am having surgery in 3 weeks, your info was great, never thought of the audio books or a portable DVD player....
Heidi, thanks for coming by and leaving a comment. I hope it is not too difficult with the surgery for your 5-year-old.
My 5-year-old will be having this surgery next week. I'm grateful for the tips!
Kate,
Thank you so much for returning to this hub to tell about your surgery and recovery experience. My prayer worked? God is good, all the time!
I am glad that your surgery had a good outcome, and I hope there are no more problems.
It is now 11 months since i had my vitrectomy,i had 10 days of face down but i could sleep on my side at night.
My vitrectomy was to repair a macular hole and i am glad to say was successful.
Last time i wrote here i was worried about the journey home from hospital as it was 4 hours on a ferry across the Irish sea,your prayer must have worked, the sea that day was as calm as a mill pond,and luckily i managed to book a cabin so i had some privacy while keeping my face down.
Many thanks.
Kate
sir my face is very down also eyes i am not doind hand practice but my skin is to weak any medicine adivise me please i am from pakistan
Starr, Well I agree that the positioning furniture is not too great. I didn't really use it except for watching DVD's and television.
As a pet owner, I sympathize with you about your dog. I hope you are getting over that event.
Good comments. I did not like the positioning furniture. I wrote a pamphlet on how to do this--because I got bad info, I sent my dog away so I would not look up--and he got killed. http://healthsasspresents.blogspot.com.
Toniemail13, thanks for your comments. Let me emphasize that if you have macular pucker surgery, the odds of your having to do the face-down positioning are very slim. Mine was a special case, and thankfully, most of those surgeries are routine, with easy recovery.
It's a good thing that you're going to have a consult with a retinal specialist before doing cataract surgery. Your retinal specialist will determine how bad your macular pucker condition is, and whether or not surgery will help the condition. Sometimes it's better to have the cataract surgery first, then followed by the ERM peel. That's what I did. If you have the ERM peel before cataract surgery, your cataract is, in all probability, going to worsen anyway after the retinal surgery. In some cases, it may not matter much which surgery is done first.
If your macular pucker condition is not causing many problems, your surgeon may choose to leave them alone, and keep monitoring for any changes.
I hope this helps you.
gracenotes,
I will be seeing an eye surgeon tomorrow for macular puckers in both eyes. These puckers were noticed by my cataract surgeon, who recommended I get a consult from the macular surgeon before cataract surgery.
Is macular pucker surgery usually done first?
Thank you for your insights.
Tonie
Crystolite, thank you for coming by.
Nice info,thanks for sharing.
Azure, thanks for your comments.
Excellent and informative hub Grace!!! Thanks for putting this together!
Betsy, I was not able to get back to see my retina specialist, so I'm still not sure why some surgeons would advocate patients sleeping on their side, instead of face-down. And I'm sorry I can't be more helpful about that issue. You'll have to ask your physician about that one. Physical therapy -- no. But it would be nice if one had a massage therapist to work out the tension in stiff neck and shoulder muscles.
Is there positioning for sleeping on your side sAfely? Did your Dr. reccommen a physical therapist Is showering okay? ThaNk you for answering
Betsy, I have walked around with my head lowered when I was recovering from surgery.
I can't answer about how much pain. It depends on the surgery and the kind of needles that your surgeon is using. I didn't have any pain with my vitrectomy, but that is because my surgeon used fine-gauge needles in the surgery. If your surgeon uses sutures, there could be some pain.
what kind of pain is involved after surgery? Am fscing the surgery in a couple of weeks. Can you walk around waith your head down?
Keitht, I'm glad you wrote the comment!
On my other hub, which is the last one linked on this article, I discussed the vitrectomy procedure. You can read it. You'll see from those comments that one fellow in Argentina who had a vitrectomy did not have to go face-down. Another person commented that they had to sleep on their side, which is easy.
I really had planned to ask my retinal specialist this question myself, and I will be seeing him probably on March 7, and if so, I will come back here and tell you what he said.
But to be honest, it would be best to ask your doctor or his physician assistant about this. It's really imperative that you are not left with doubts in your mind!
By the way, you asked the same question that I did about the air bubble. A retinal surgeon will refer to a "gas bubble" or an "air bubble," but they are the same thing. When I seemed confused about this, my surgeon looked at me and said, "Air IS a gas." It embarrassed me at the time, and I felt really stupid. Apparently some air bubbles are short-acting, and some are meant to be in the eye longer.
If you have to travel home by rail, believe me, you'll find a way to be face down if it's necessary. I recommend using one of those soft, horse-shoe shaped pillows.
Having said that, I really hope that you are spared having to assume the face-down position. Honestly!
Hope this helps.
Very useful inforn#mation. Many thanks.
I am booked for a vitrectomy in 2-3 weeks time but the consultant did not mention the face down recovery. Apparently I will have air injected into my eye rather than gas or saline. I wonder if that makes a significant difference? Apparently I can expect the air to be absorbed within a week. I will need to make a 50 mile rail journey after the op and wonder how that squares with keeping face down at what must be a critical time?
Parkap,
I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you are seeking medical attention for the problem, and that you get some relief.
hI i AM HAVING VERY DIZZY SPELLS AND HEADACHES AFTER LIFTING MY FACE AFTER FACE DOWN FOR 2 WEEKS
Will be grateful if anyone can suggest how to deal with this - direct to parkap21@gmail.com
Megan,
As you know already, this isn't fun. I hope that your boyfriend has an easy time of it. Thanks for your comments. I consider it a great compliment that you took the time to add to my hub on face-down recovery after vitrectomy.
Thanks for the tips! My boyfriend has had two vitrectomies, one of which included a face-down recovery. He's scheduled for another this Friday to repair a detached retina in his other eye, and we'll be sure to use your list to help him pass the time! Thanks again!
Kate,
I hope it goes well for you, and that the results of the repair surgery meet your expectations. I would not like having to cross the Irish sea on a ferry, but perhaps there is something the doctor can offer to make you more comfortable in case the seas get rough. I took a few moments just now to pray that everything will happen efficiently and that the journey won't have any rough spots. Thanks for your comments.
I shall be having a vitrectomy to repair a macula hole in a few weeks time,what is worrying me is the journey home from hospital as i wont be able to fly it will be a 4 hour ferry crossing and the irish sea can be rough at this time of year.
@s.m. shahnawaz,
Thanks for the comment. It is very true.
I passed 24 days in this position.you can do any thing if your vision at a risk.
RTalloni,
I am glad I had the surgery. I have noticed additional improvement in my vision, 3 months after surgery. The Lord be praised for that.
I don't know how I stayed face-down to sleep. The first night, I woke up many times, and had to shift positions slightly, but after that, I stayed in position and did not awaken much. I guess somehow the neural circuits were active and clicking because they knew what I needed to accomplish. Anyone who is having difficulty can take muscle relaxants and they'll be knocked out for 6 hours or so!
I must say that your title certainly made me curious. Besides learning of something new, you made me thankful that I don't have such a problem. Three days is a long time for that position, but you made it and you have given those who have the same problem some good encouragement here. Good for you! May the Lord bless your continued recovery.
BTW, how on earth did you stay on your stomach when asleep? Tie yourself down?
Vvzabalon,
I am delighted to be able to help. Maybe you can come back here and let us know how you did! I wish you well.
Thank you very much for relating your experience. In a few
days I will be going through a similar procedure and will
have to face down for some time. This information will help
me to face this challenge with determination and not fear.
thank you again.
Thanks Sandy. I should have taken a picture while I was in my "recovery" phase.
Thanks for stopping by.
Just reading this made me cringe. Interesting information on vitrectomy.
Well, thank you. I just hope that you don't ever have to have surgery where this type of thing is required!
You know, I had never heard of face down recovery before, so thanks for all the information and the tips, gracenotes
gracenotes Hub Author 2 weeks ago
It's often difficult, for various reasons, to sleep face down. Your plan sounds about as good as I've heard to make this work. Sorry I can't offer any other solutions.