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.
When there is a torn retina, the doctor can ask you to undergo laser surgery to repair the retina. This should not be a problem for flying. However, a torn retina can mean that liquid or gas is injected into the eye. In these cases, the ophthalmologist must confirm that everything is fine before taking a plane.
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. It depends on the type of work you do and how you feel.
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.
If no positioning is required, avoid strenuous activity (weight lifting & swimming) for two weeks. Watching TV and reading will cause no harm. Your vision will remain blurred / poor for several weeks.
Positioning the patient face-down immediately after surgery for at least several hours allows any residual subretinal fluid to flow out of the submacular space (Figure 19-1). Following this, positioning the head opposite the location of the retinal break will allow the gas to directly tamponade that break.
Avoid getting soapy water in your eye but it will not harm the healing process. Do not wash your hair for a few days. Avoid any bending or lifting for 1 week after surgery. After 1 week, you may do light housework and bend over to pick up light objects.
You may have to keep your head face down (parallel to the ground or to the side) for up to several weeks after surgery so the bubble will be in the right position.
The timing depends on the type of gas used: short-acting gas (SF6) takes 2 to 3 weeks to disappear; long-acting gas (C3F8) takes about 2 months. When the gas bubble is down to half size, you will see a horizontal line across your vision, bobbing up and down with head movement.
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.
Air travel rarely has any effect on intraocular pressure (IOP). Because the air pressure within the cabin is carefully regulated as the plane ascends and descends, there is little change in eye pressure. Air travel does affect the volume of gases in the air.
Raising your head, flying in an airplane or even traveling to high altitudes during recovery can raise your eye pressure and cause other vision problems. The good news is that your body will eventually refill the gas bubble with your body's own natural fluids.
You may shower and wash your hair carefully the day after your surgery. Do not scrub your head vigorously. Avoid getting soap and water in your eye. Do not let the water pound on your face.
In such cases, glasses or contact lenses are of no help and require visual aids for retinal detachment to assist in retaining the leftover vision. Some visual aids used are magnifiers, standing and hand-held magnifiers, strong magnifying reading glasses, loupes, and small telescopes.
The healing process can take some time, depending on the type of surgery and degree of work performed by the surgeon. Even minimally invasive surgery, which requires smaller incisions, needs some downtime. Most surgeons recommend patients wait at least 1-2 weeks before extensive road travel.
Clots are most likely to develop in the first week or two after your surgery, but you're at risk for about three months. You won't always notice symptoms, but if you develop a blood clot you might see: New swelling in your lower leg that doesn't go down when you elevate your leg.
Fluid buildup, eye trauma, medications, and other eye conditions are all potential causes of an increase in eye pressure. Typically, one of the keys to reducing it is treating the root cause. It's important to remember that higher-than-normal pressure doesn't guarantee severe problems.
The mean IOP increased after each position change (2.6 ± 2.4 mmHg after lying down and 2.1 ± 3.1 mmHg after sitting up) and then gradually decreased with time.
Many adults enjoy a beer, a glass of wine or a cocktail, but this risk factor requires special attention. Alcohol consumption could affect your eye pressure in two ways. Alcohol has been known to lower IOP initially (Source: Modern Medicine). However, over the long-term, alcohol actually increases IOP.
Aging is the most common cause of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. As you get older, the vitreous in your eye may change in texture and may shrink.
Can I drive after the operation? You probably won't be able to drive for 6 to 8 weeks after your operation while the gas bubble is still present in your eye. Speak to your specialist if you're unsure. You'll notice the bubble shrinking and will be aware when it has completely gone.
After some types of retinal surgery, you will need to keep your head in a face-down position. This is because a gas bubble has been put in your eye. Recovering with your head down allows the bubble to float into the correct position. The bubble holds the retina in place to heal correctly.