POST OPERATIVE CATARACT CARE INSTRUCTIONS 

LEAVE YOUR EYE PAD ON UNTIL YOUR POST OPERATIVE APPOINTMENT THE MORNING AFTER YOUR SURGERY.  DO NOT INSTILL ANY DROPS.
  • Bathe your eye twice a day (morning & night) with saline solution.  You will need to use a clean gauze square for each wipe across the lid. Wipe from the inner corner of the eye and outward. Use a fresh gauze square for each wipe of the eye. 

DO NOT WIPE THE SURFACE OF YOUR EYE, ONLY YOUR EYELIDS
  • Tape your eye shield over the operated eye each night for 1 week post operatively.  This will give you added protection from bumping your eye during the night. 
  • Use your drops after each bathing and at the other times as directed:
  • You have 2 types of drops:
    • TOBREX (antibiotic drop).
    • MAXIDEX (anti-inflammatory drop).

After your operation you need to use both types of your drops in the eye that was operated on until your next appointment with Dr Glastonbury.  You should leave about 2 minutes between the instillation of each type of drop. Shake the eye drop bottles before using them. Drops should be instilled 4 times a day – BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER & BEDTIME without touching the surface of your eye with the tip of the bottle.

DO
  • Wear sunglasses while outdoors, you will be more sensitive to glare in the post-operative phase.
  • You may read or watch TV if you can tolerate it, you will not harm your eye.
  • Ask Dr Glastonbury when you can drive again.  Definitely DO NOT drive on the day of surgery, or the day after surgery.  
  • Bring your eye drop bottles to the post-operative appointments.
DON’T
  • Don’t rub or put your fingers into your eye.
  • Don’t apply pressure to the eye when instilling the eye drops
  • Don’t bend your head lower than your chest for 2 weeks.
  • Don’t lift anything heavy for 2 weeks following your surgery.
  • Don’t sleep on the same side as your healing eye for 1 week. Sleep on the opposite side or your back.
  • Don’t be concerned about washing your hair. You can wash it under the shower but close your eyes.

IMPORTANT

Contact the surgery if:
  • Your vision deteriorates significantly and suddenly.
  • If you experience deep, SEVERE pain in your eye.
  • If you develop a yellowish discharge from your eye.

Please Remember:
  • It is very important that you have assistance available to you in the immediate post-operative period when you return home and overnight.  You will still have residual anaesthetic agents in your body and you will also experience a degree of visual impairment due to your operated eye being patched.  This can alter your depth perception when attending to certain domestic tasks in the home such as pouring hot water.  There is also an increased risk of falling post operatively.

It is a requirement of the North Queensland Day Surgery that you have someone to accompany and stay with you in the immediate post-operative stage.

  • You have had an operation and you will have some post-operative discomfort as with most surgery.  If you have had your other eye operated on in the past, please be aware that the post-operative phase for your current surgery may not follow the same recovery path as your other eye surgery.  This is not abnormal
  • You may experience some dull aching discomfort in the first 24-hour period post operatively above your eyebrow or you may experience it as a dull headache. You should have an effective pain relief available for this period of time should you need it.  ​Please DO NOT TAKE ASPIRIN for pain following your eye surgery.
  • You may experience a sensation of having something in your eye in the first few days’ post operatively. You may notice your eye is watery. This is your incision and over the first few days you may notice this sensation particularly when you are blinking, tired or trying to focus on a TV screen or computer screen when your eye may be a little dry.  This sensation will improve.  If you are concerned, please call our rooms on 47 798008 for further instruction and advice.

Click to download printable instructions - post_operative_cataract_care_instructions_16.12.16.pdf

POST OPERATIVE CARE FOR PTERYGIUM SURGERY

DO’S

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EYE PAD ON UNTIL THE MORNING FOLLOWING SURGERY
  • Use eye drops as directed – See below instructions.
  • Do not drive with your eye pad on.
  • Wear sunglasses – You will be extremely sensitive to glare for 4-6 weeks following surgery.
  • You may read or watch TV, you will not harm your eye.
  • You may drive your car if you feel your vision is satisfactory BUT NOT on the day of surgery.
  • Bathe your eye twice a day (morning & night) for ONE WEEK following surgery with saline solution. You will need to use a clean gauze square for each wipe. Wipe from the inner corner of the eye then outward. Discard this gauze and use a fresh one for each wipe of the eye. DO NOT WIPE THE EYE, ONLY THE LIDS.
  • Use your drops after each bathing and at the other times as directed .
  • You can wash your hair under the shower if necessary but close your eyes.

CONTACT THE SURGERY IF:    
  • Your vision deteriorates.
  • If you experience severe pain.
  • If you develop a discharge from the eye.

DONT’S
  • Don’t rub your eye.
  • Don’t enter dusty or windy environments without sunglasses.
  • Don’t be concerned when your eye remains red for up to 4 weeks following surgery.
  • Don’t be concerned about a gritty sensation in your eye, your eye will remain irritated for some weeks following surgery, part of this sensation is caused by dissolving stitches and partly because your eye is dry.
  • Don’t be concerned if your eye waters.  You may want to increase your lubricant drops; this will not harm the eye.
  • Don’t go swimming until your next appointment with your eye doctor.

DROPS
You have 3 types of drops :
  • TOBREX (antibiotic drop) 4 times  a day.
  • MAXIDEX (anti-inflammatory drop) 4 times a day.
  • REFRESH (lubricant drop) 4-6 times a day if necessary. 

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE POST OPERATIVE PERIOD FOLLOWING SURGERY IS UNCOMFORTABLE. YOU SHOULD ARRANGE TO HAVE AN EFFECTIVE PAIN RELIEF AVAILABLE FOR THIS PERIOD OF TIME, BEST TAKEN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING SURGERY. DO NOT USE ASPIRIN FOLLOWING YOUR EYE SURGERY.

BEST TIMES FOR YOUR DROPS ARE BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER AND BEDTIME.

Click to download printable instructions - post_operative_care_for_pterygium_surgery.pdf instructions

POST OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS FOLLOWING LESION EXCISION

Please leave your patch on following surgery until we remove it the next morning at your dressing appointment
You will have been prescribed some antibiotic ointment to use on your suture line / wound.  Please bring this with you to your dressing appointment.

You will not need to keep your wound covered and it is very important to keep it dry and clean. In order to do this, you will need to:
  • Bathe the wound twice a day for 1 week after your surgery.
  • Use clean gauze squares and saline solution to bathe your wound.
  • When wiping the area, wipe from one end of the wound to the other with one swab and then discard.  For each wipe across the wound use a fresh gauze square.  You may need to wipe across the wound 5-6 times to remove any secretions / ooze adequately.
  • You will need to keep your wound dry so no swimming and use a clean face washer to wash your face rather than submerge your face in water. 
  • Apply the ointment directly to the wound as prescribed.
  • Continue your ointment until your next appointment with Dr Glastonbury

Click to download printable instructions- post_operative_instructions_lesion_excision.pdf