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Facing vitrectomy for macular pucker. What was your experience?

Posted by sregiani @sregiani, Feb 9, 2024

Hi, 71 yo woman and had cataract surgery almost 2 years. Several months ago the vision in my right deteriorated. Cloudy, hard to focus. I tried contact lens, but nothing worked. My eye doc referred me to a retinal surgeon for vitrectomy. Wanting to avoid the holidays. I put it off for a few months, but now harder to see and drive, esp at night. Last month’s recheck showed it has advanced, and the only solution is a vitrectomy. I’m planning to do this next month (traveling now).

Can you share your experience? How long was healing? Was it worth it?

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kaye46 | @kaye46 | Jun 26 9:53am

I'm having surgery for the epiretinal membrane problem in the fall. It's not severe, although working on the PC with boxes and lines, I have to close the eye because of double vision, and of course, the lines are wavy. I suggested waiting until it becomes worse, but my surgeon said the worse it gets the more difficult surgery will be. Has anyone out there been told that? I'm also concerned about sleeping face down for 7 hours per day, as it will be difficult for me to do. Has anyone had to do this? My visit was fast with no further info from the surgeon. He just emailed some info to me which says it depends on whether you have a gas or oil bubble placed in your eye, and it's decided during the surgery.

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kaye46 | @kaye46 | Jul 31 10:47am
In reply to @sregiani "Oh, boy, I hear you! I learned I had an Epiretinal Membrane when they were doing..." + (show)
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Oh, boy, I hear you! I learned I had an Epiretinal Membrane when they were doing the measurements for my right eye cataract removal. That surgeon said if it didn’t bother me, not to worry. It did stop him from doing the triple implant - near/mid/far distance. Mine is mid and distance only. All seemed well for 2 years.
My optimetrist said removing the cataract “probably” didn’t affect my macular pucker. Some people have these for years and never know because their vision is fine.

Like you, I still wonder about the coincidence. We will never know.

Do you have the same issue with your other eye? I did end up having the other cataract done after the first. The left eye was successful. Hope yours will be, too.

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I have a macular pucker, too. I was recently scheduled for surgery, but backed out. I'm a coward! I'm more worried about what happens afterwards, and can't get a clear answer about the face-down stuff. I live alone and have pets to look after. My pucker has not increased much from a year ago, but my vision has decreased for whatever reason. Reading is a little blurry, and when working on my laptop, I often have to close the eye to focus on lining up data. I'm 79 and have mild macular degeneration in the other eye. I'd like to have at least one good eye...

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kaye46 | @kaye46 | Aug 2 9:59am
In reply to @sregiani "Sleep: you’ll have a patch over your eye for at least the first night. I did..." + (show)
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Sleep: you’ll have a patch over your eye for at least the first night. I did use it for the second night, then was fine without.
Can you sleep on your side? I try to sleep on my left side, so as to be kind to my healing right eye.
Suggest you call your surgeon’s office and ask their advice 🙂

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My surgeon's office sent me an email saying that I could be facedown for between 24 to 48 hours after the surgery. I live alone and have cancelled the surgery for the time being anyway. No way to speak to the surgeon, he's a god, you know.

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chanceye1324 | @chanceye1324 | Sep 14 7:32pm
In reply to @newyorknill "I had cataract surgery in my right eye. Within days I was diagnosed with wet macular...." + (show)
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I had cataract surgery in my right eye. Within days I was diagnosed with wet macular. I remember while waiting my turn for the surgery, an anesthesiologist said to me don't mess with your eyes. I almost canceled but stupidly didn't.

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The exact same thing happened to me. It's not as bad as my left eye which has undergone a years worth of injections but I knew it was coming. My right eye had had dry macular degeneration for a few years but now my distance vision in that eye is very diminished.

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