(Newswire.net — August 7, 2022) — The retina contains several nerves that enable visibility and is the innermost layer of the eyes. Light rays from foreign objects are received by the lens and cornea, which are then focused on the retina to produce an image sent to the brain through the optic nerve; hence you can see the world around you. Because of how important the retina is to your eyesight, it’s crucial to properly take care of yourself or a loved one when recovering from retinal surgery.
1. Facedown Recovery Position
During the retinal surgery, a gas bubble is put in the eye, which will need you to be in the facedown recovery position so that the bubble can float and adapt to the correct position. The gas bubble helps to hold the retina in place and facilitate healing. After the surgery, the doctor advises on the right amount of time to stay face down, which could take a week or more. With time, the eyes are filled with their own fluid, making the gas bubble disappear.
2. The patient must Take the Postoperative Drops
The postoperative drops help to prevent bacterial infections and inflammation. In the operated eye, apply one drop three times a day as directed by the physician till further notice. The antibiotic drop that prevents infections is to be used for the first seven days after surgery, while the one that reduces inflammation is typically used for 3-6 weeks.
Before applying ointment or eye drops to the treated eye, ensure you wash your hands and follow the direction for use on each bottle. Also, be sure not to put your eye or eyelid in contact with the bottle to prevent further infection.
3. Wearing the Eyepatch
After the surgery, ensure you keep the shield or eye patch on until the next morning after surgery. After taking the shield off, engage with your post-eye drops as advised by the doctor. Signs of a bloody discharge or mucus on the patch after removing it are a normal occurrence and should therefore not be a cause for lam unless it is produced in excessive amounts.
Also, it is okay to tape the eye shield in place while applying the eye drops. Some of the normal symptoms after retina surgery include double vision, light sensitivity, the mild ache of the treated eye, and floaters.
4. Taking Time Off to Recover
After the operation, depending on the level of damage that was being corrected, your surgeon may advise you to allocate some time and allow the eye to recover without straining it. This also depends on the nature of the work that you are doing. If need be, apply for disability in your place of work by filling out and submitting disability forms.
Driving on the day of the surgery is prohibited until your doctor gives out clear guidelines on the right time to resume driving.
Experiencing complications after the surgery is normal, although they are rare. Allow our surgeon to monitor the affected eye after the surgery to keep track of the healing process and ensure a successful outcome. Finally, be patient and give yourself a grace period to heal. Fastening the healing process could lead to further complications such as infecting the good eye.