retina repair operation

Hi Coke - sorry I don't have experience of this but will be interested in any answers as I have very thin retinas and in danger of a tear at any time. I hope your op and recovery goes well

My husband had retina repair surgery a couple of months ago. The operation lasted about an hour and a half.

For the first few days he had to keep his down and to one side for 50 minutes out of every hour, but he could see to read out of his other eye, although this was tiring for him.

There were 3 separate types of eye drops, one lot twice a day, one lot four times a day and another lot every four hours, so I kept a tick sheet to try and ensure that we did it right. One of the nurse marked these for him so that we knew which was which, so make sure you mark yours.

He could see a bubble in his eye which very, very, gradually got smaller. As the weeks went on he got a bit disheartened and thought it would never properly recover, but after six weeks he woke up one morning and the bubble had gone and he can now see properly again.

So what I am trying to tell you is that it will get better even if it takes longer than you first thought.

I would start looking now at radio programmes you can download and listen to while you have to keep your head down. Make a playlist of music that you would like to hear again but have never had the time. perhaps find some large print books from the library.

And don't despair, you will see properly again!

Hi Coke I had this done quite recently it's called macular hole surgery for a tear in the retina. My surgeon put a lot of gas into the eye so I didn't have to lie still , it's called posturing and you can find diagrams of it on line if you google if your surgeon says you must do it. I had a cataract done at the same time and was in theatre for an hour. It is a bit strange and sometimes uncomfortable but not painful. You lie still although you can change position slightly and they put sterile paper over your head so you can only see shadow whilst it's happening but the staff talk to you. You have anaesthetic drops and an injection put into your eye beforehand . Afterwards I wore an eye shield for 24 hours and was checked at the hospital the day after. I had to have drops in my eyes 4 times a day for 2 weeks and twice a day for another two.

I had a side effect of vertigo for a few weeks and first of all you have no vision at all in the eye so sometimes you might not realise someone is coming near you on that side and you might be startled, the peripheral vision comes back last and the bubble stayed in my eye for 10.5 weeks getting smaller and smaller until it is very small and then you wake up one day and it's gone completely. When the anaesthetic wore off my eye was painful for several days so take paracetamol and ibuprofen every few hours and soon you won't need painkillers at all. I could still read and watch tele, your good eye compensates greatly but I couldn't drive until the bubble went.

I was scared beforehand but my surgeon and other staff were lovely . P M me if it helps

I ve twice had lazer treatment for torn retinas don’t know if that’s the same as you are meaning maybe not as I didn’t do any lying down every hour after it I found it all quite easy and didn’t have any repercussions

I also have had laser treatment for torn retina, I walked into hospital, got treated, then walked out, had no repercussions, wish you well Coke.

I have had it done three times and cataracts done. To be honest I would rather have retinal surgery than have a tooth out. You won't feel anything and someone will be there to hold your hand, most importantly you won't see anything. I must admit it can be quite sore afterwards but paracaetamol will help that and you will be given drops. I used saline solultion stored in the fridge to bathe my eyes, it's very soothing. For the third op I had had to sleep upright for three nights which was difficult but that varies on the time of op you have. The gas bubble if you have one will slowly disappear. Take care and you will be fine.x