How is someone who just had a retinal detachment surgery supposed to sleep?

It depends: It depends on exactly what procedure was done. Please call your surgeon to ask the specifics.

It depends: If you had a vitrectomy with intraocular gas insertion and your retina specialist asked you to be face down (ask your retina specialist), there are positioning devices available to rent on-line that look a little like massage chairs that may help. Ask your retina specialist.

Not on Back: Depending on how the surgery was performed, and where the retinal holes are, the surgeon may require that the patient be face down or on one side or the other for a period of time. It is generally not helpful for patients to lay on their back with a gas bubble present because that may accelerate cataract formation.