Will I wear an eye patch?

Yes, for the first night after the surgery.

Will I have to be in a certain position after surgery?

Yes, you will have 10 days of special positioning during the daytime as the retina reattaches.

Will I need eye drops after surgery?

Yes, you will use eye drops for a few weeks following your surgery.

How long will I stay in the hospital after surgery?

All of the surgeries (macular translocation, muscle, and oil removal) are outpatient procedures. Patients do not usually need to stay in the hospital overnight following surgery. We will remove the eye patch and examine your eye the morning after surgery.

Will I have to return to the Duke Eye Center for follow-up appointments?

Yes, your surgeon will need to monitor your eye as it heals. Many of your appointments will require special testing that will give your doctor valuable information regarding your vision. Most patients return for four visits during the first six months following surgery.

How many macular translocation surgeries have been performed at the Duke Eye Center?

More than 400 surgeries have been performed at Duke University Eye Center.

How many macular translocation surgeries have been successful and what results are deemed successful?

In a study done on macular translocation patients at Duke, more than half of the patients recovered useful reading vision one year after surgery. However, as with any surgery, macular translocation may have complications. Due to complications from macular translocation or because of the damage to the macula from macular degeneration, a patient may lose vision or have bad vision after surgery. Ttherefore, there is a risk that the patient may not benefit from macular translocation surgery.

If I have received photodynamic therapy (PDT) -- or Avastin, Lucentis, or other medicines to stop the blood vessels -- am I still a candidate for macular translocation surgery?

Yes, you can still be a candidate. Some patients who still have poor vision after other treatments have recovered central vision after macular translocation surgery.