Diagnosed w macular hole ...

Hi, Chris. I had injections for maculat degeneration - do you mean those? - but then they discovered it was a macular hole, and the only cure for that is an operation followed by the face-down positioning that you so dread. My experience of the positioning is that it resulted in stiffness and pain, but then a week of massage and heat wraps got me back to normal. When I think about the wonderful experience of being able to see again, every day, that 2-3 week period of disccomfort was a very small price to pay, and I would definitely do it again if I needed to.

There's one more thing I'd like to say: the doctors told me that the operation has a much better chance of success if it is done soon after the hole develops, so it's best not to wait.

Hoping this helps,

Edward

Hello Chris-

You have a lot of questions, most can be answered by your doc. Every patient and situation is a little different but I'll post what I learned from my conditions and recoveries

Positioning depends on the location of the detachment/tear and fix. The repaired area needs to be UP so the gas bubble can hold the retina against the choroid while the body creates scare tissue to "tack" the retina down.

One of my tears was just to the right of the macula and doc thought I might need to do the face plant positioning. The clinic provides the chair but it is also available at some medical supply houses. I learned about the mirror on the floor and about the tv from other former patients who had to do this.

In the end, I didn't have to do the face plant but almost wish I had. Instead, I had to lie prone on my eye with the side of my nose buried in a thin pillow. Visualize a clock: the face plant has your nose down at the "6" - my nose was at the "7" (or was it "5" position which made breathing more difficult than a face plant chair.

With the chair you will be sitting in it day and night for as long as your doc says is necessary. My recoveries were each a little different: 3 days, 5 days and 6 days. My other procedures didn't require positioning.

For three of my extended recoveries I spent the entire time on a couch in the family room. This was MUCH better than trying to stay in bed because the back of the couch supported my back and kept me from rolling over at night - which you CAN'T DO. A thin long pillow (body pillow) between my legs was a MUST. I also used a very squishy (but not wet) pillow to form a prop under my chest/shoulder - between Mr. Squishy and the back of the couch I was nicely held in position...for days!

The down side was a lot of body aches. For one recovery postioning had my right ear down on a thin pillow, not on a nice lofty pillow as that lifted and turned my head too much. After five days I developed a bed sore in my ear!

With each recovery I was permitted to get up once an hour for no more than 5 minutes. I learned to take really fast showers and bio breaks!

I had to keep "stuff" within arms reach while lying down - tissues, waste basket (bin), water in an insulated cup, snacks, tv remote, all things the experienced couch potato would know (but I had to learn).

Be sure to get a big fat long straw like the type use for milk shakes. As for eating, keep it light and keep the portions small.

All in all it's not that bad to go through. Considering the alternative of losing part or all sight in your eye, a week in a chair isn't so bad.