When can I sleep normally after a vitrectomy?

General information about typical recovery, not medical advice. Every eye and every surgery is different, and your surgeon's instructions override anything on this page. Read our full disclaimer.

Short answer

Not until your positioning period ends. AAO says positioning applies while you sleep and can last days to weeks.

If a gas bubble was placed, sleep is part of the positioning assignment. AAO tells patients to stay face-down or sideways when they stand, sit, eat, walk, and sleep, unless their surgeon says otherwise, and lists the period as days to weeks.

AAO gives a specific sleeping technique: lie face down on a pillow with the recovering side of your face hanging off the edge of the bed, which helps reduce pain and keeps pressure off the operated eye. Face-down pillows with a cutout are available to buy or rent, along with face-down chairs and tabletop face cradles.

Some patients are assigned side positioning rather than face-down, depending on where the retinal break is. Do not assume face-down. Ask which side, and ask how many hours a day.

AAO also warns that the surgery may not work if you do not recover in the recommended position. That is the reason to fight through a few uncomfortable nights.

Once your surgeon releases you from positioning, normal sleep positions are generally fine, even if the bubble is still shrinking. Confirm that at your visit rather than assuming.

When	Typical guidance
Nights during positioning	Sleep in the assigned position. AAO suggests face down on a pillow with the operated side hanging off the bed edge.
Equipment	Face-down pillows, chairs, and tabletop cradles can be rented or bought.
After positioning is released	Normal sleep positions usually resume, once your surgeon confirms.

Call your surgeon now if you notice any of these

Pain that keeps increasing, or pain not relieved by your prescribed drops. ASRS notes severe pain is uncommon after vitrectomy unless there is unusual inflammation or high eye pressure
A sudden decrease or loss of vision, or vision that was improving and then clearly gets worse
A new dark shadow or gray curtain moving across any part of your vision
A sudden burst of many new floaters, or new flashing lights, which NEI and AAO list as emergency signs of retinal detachment
Signs of very high eye pressure: a deep hard ache with nausea or vomiting, halos around lights, or severe pain. StatPearls lists raised intraocular pressure as a known complication of gas tamponade
Signs of infection: worsening redness, thick yellow or green discharge, swelling that is getting worse, or increasing pain. ASRS lists infection among the possible complications of vitrectomy
Any time a doctor, dentist, or paramedic is about to give you anesthesia while you still have a gas bubble. Tell them you have intraocular gas and that nitrous oxide must not be used. ASRS states that nitrous gas anesthesia should be strictly avoided when a gas bubble has been used
Any pressure to fly, travel to altitude, or dive before your surgeon has confirmed the bubble is gone. AAO warns this can cause severe pain, permanent vision loss, or even blindness

These warning signs after vitrectomy can point to problems that need same-day care. Do not wait for your next scheduled visit. If you cannot reach your surgeon's office, use their on-call line, or go to an emergency room.

Sources: American Society of Retina Specialists; American Academy of Ophthalmology; National Eye Institute (NIH); StatPearls Publishing / NCBI Bookshelf

Sources

Positioning After Retinal Surgery American Academy of Ophthalmology. Accessed 2026-08-25.
Detached Retina Treatment American Academy of Ophthalmology. Accessed 2026-08-25.

When can I sleep normally after a vitrectomy?

More on vitrectomy recovery

Sources