Glaucoma Surgery – How to take care after the surgery
This sheet gives you information about how to care for yourself after your procedure. Your health care provider may also give you more specific instructions. If you have problems or questions, contact your health care provider.
What can I expect after the procedure?
After your procedure, it is common to have:
- Changes in your ability to see the distance of objects (depth perception).
- Blurry vision.
- Eye discomfort.
- Redness and irritation in the affected eye.
- Tearing or watering in the affected eye.
- Light sensitivity.
Follow these instructions at home:
Medicines
- Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
Apply eye drops or ointment as needed. To put drops or ointment in your eye:
- Wash your hands before using eye drops or ointment. Use soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.
- Pull down the lower lid.
- Place a line of ointment or place 1–2 drops along the inside of the lower lid. Do not touch the tip of the applicator to the eye.
Activity
- Return
to your normal activities as told by your health care provider. Your
health care provider may ask you to avoid:
- Playing contact sports.
- Doing strenuous yard work and housework.
- Bending down for 1–2 weeks or as told by your health care provider.
- Swimming.
- Rubbing your eyes.
- Do notlift anything that is heavier than 10 lbs. (4.5 kg), or the limit that your health care provider tells you, until he or she says that it is safe.
- Do notuse any products that contain nicotine or tobacco, such as cigarettes and e-cigarettes. If you need help quitting, ask your health care provider.
General instructions
- Patch your eye as told by your health care provider.
- If you had filtering surgery, wear an eye shield as told by your health care provider.
- Keep all follow-up visits as told by your health care provider. This is important.
Contact a health care provider if:
- You
have signs of infection in your eye, such as:
- Pain, inflammation, swelling, or redness.
- You have vision changes.
- You have pus-like drainage coming from your eye.
Get help right away if:
- You lose all vision.
- You have severe eye pain.
Summary
- After your procedure, it is common to have changes in depth perception, blurry vision, eye discomfort, redness and irritation, increase in tearing or watering, and light sensitivity.
- Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
- Apply eye drops or ointment as told by your health care provider.
- Get help right away if you lose all vision, or if you have severe eye pain.
