Ways to Care for Your Eyes After an Operation

by Alesha Wilson
(Wilmington, NC)

Having an eye operation can be a harrowing experience, but you should not let your guard down even after the operation. Here are some of the things you must do to ensure your eyes’ health afterwards.

Avoid Strain

The day after your operation is crucial to your recovery. Expect to feel sluggish and dizzy for the first 24 hours, especially if you were given general anesthesia. The after effects are strongest during the first day and they may persist for a week. What you should do is get plenty of rest and avoid strenuous activities that may strain your eyes, like sitting in front of the computer and reading.

You should also avoid alcohol and too much caffeine for now. Besides messing with the effects of antibiotics in your system, these substances are diuretic. Instead of enjoying a long bed rest, you may end up going to the bathroom to relieve yourself several times more than necessary. Drink water to keep the moisture level up.

Remain Indoors

Going outside is also a no-no especially if you have to drive or handle heavy equipment. Making big decisions and signing papers should also be avoided. Your judgment is still not optimum and the big decisions should be done when you’re feeling better.

Avoiding direct sunlight is also one of the main reasons why you should stay indoors. Some level of discomfort is to be expected when one eye can still receive the glare of the sun. Both eyes react to this stimulus by instinct, so make sure you wear protective sunglasses if you really have to go outside.

Ask for Help When Changing Your Eye Dressing

Having someone around to help you change your eye dressing can be the best way to do it properly. You may still be disoriented and your hands may not be as steady. You need to remove the bandage and change your wound dressing twice a day or more, depending on your doctor’s instructions. If you really have no one else to help you, you have to have a mirror in front of you.

Clean hands ensure that your wound won’t get infected, which would bring about more problems. Be gentle when handling the dressing and make sure you’re not rushing to do something when you’re removing the bandage. Don’t throw away the plastic shield, as you will still need it. Have your tools ready and make sure you have running water nearby for washing your hands. Keep a clean towelette on you for wiping your wet hands.

The protective shield should be washed and dried properly before you can use it again. If you prefer to use the shield only at night, keep it in a dry place where it won’t collect dust or grime.

Have boiled and cooled water nearby. While tap water may suffice, you need very clean water for washing your eyes. Make sure the cotton balls you use are also sterilized. Dip the cotton balls in the water and wipe around your lids first before doing anything else. Never wipe inside the eye or wash the eyes directly with water. This may cause you to accidentally press on your eyes, which could open your wound.

Alesha Wilson is a staff writer at RockwellNutrition.com.

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Floaters after Vitrectomy

A question I recently received:

“I’ve had vitrectomy surgery in both eyes for floaters…followed by cataract surgery in both eyes….and recently capsulotomy by YAG laser in both eyes….vision is 20-20…..however the left eye has 3 large floaters…from the capsulotomy as well as 3 or 4 smaller ones…..I’m considering another vitrectomy…..the floaters float about in and out of vision…could your procedure help…they are debris from the capsule…not vitreous floaters I had before.”

The YAG capsulotomy is a very common procedure performed for people who have undergone cataract surgery with a lens implant. The artificial lens is placed into the original “capsule” which held the lens before surgery. The capsule is relatively dense basement membrane between 2-20 microns thick. Fragments of the capsule liberated during a capsulotomy can behave like a more typical floater caused by vitreous gel condensation. Because they are denser, tey are more of a challenge and require very focused energy and repeated shots to “fluff it up” and vaporize the material. The pieces should be relatively small if typical of what I’ve seen before. It would seem like a vitrectomy would require a accepting a moderate amount of risk for something so small. Likely the laser could fragment and obliterate it if it is not too close to the retina. It is certainly less risk and to do the laser procedure would not prevent you from later doing a vitrectomy if it didn’t work. Your situation is interesting: 1. You develop floaters… 2. Underwent the “Gold-standard” vitrectomy procedure to remove floaters… 3. Developed cataracts as a common side effect of vitrectomy… 4. Capsule opacifies, and you undergo YAG Capsulotomy which is a common side effect and treatment after cataract surgery… 5. You develop floaters. A rather circuitous route, I’d say. So back to your specific question… If the floaters can be seen, and they are not too close to the retina, you might do well with the laser procedure. I think it would be preferable than returning to the operating room, especially if the fragment is small. Cheers, Dr. Johnson

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