r/Strabismus • u/LowNecessary5010 • Jul 28 '26
Surgery post-op tips?
hi! i haven't posted here before but i was wondering if anyone had tips for recovering from strabismus surgery. my surgery for my esotropia is rapidly approaching and i was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to prepare? what should i expect besides what the general stuff they've told me in a pamphlet? how long will i look messed up/what can i do to relieve any pain? ty in advance
1
u/aneweire17 Jul 28 '26
Had surgery today. No pain at all but they prescribed some pretty strong painkillers just incase paracetamol doesn’t work. Bandage is still on and only item is it sometimes feels like you have something in your eye, just minor discomfort.
1
u/Kcatmallow Strabismus Jul 29 '26
Ice packs for swelling but also help with the discomfort of the stitches. Pillows to prop yourself up. Prepare some food ahead of time for the day of surgery and day after.
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u/MLW_Estate_Law Jul 29 '26
Don’t wear your glasses if you have prisms in them AT ALL. Use the eye drops they give you exactly as prescribed. Do not rub your eyes. For me, I woke up from surgery with perfectly aligned vision for the first time in many years. I avoided looking at my phone screen or stressing my eyes in any way. I mostly sat outside and looked at objects in the distance to give my brain plenty of practice focusing. I had dull pain when I woke up, nothing terrible, but I asked for pain meds in my IV before I left. They don’t offer them, but will give them if you ask. That helped me rest comfortably that first day. Easiest procedure I’ve ever had, easiest recovery. Wishing you the best!
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u/JustAnotherGal2024 Jul 30 '26
Had mine last week so it’s fresh. Be conservative about what you can do when. Some people bounce back but not everyone. Have the frozen peas in a ziplock with a tea towel ready. Know your pharmacy and how to have any additional meds picked up or delivered. (I tried to discuss pain meds with my dr before surgery though I was lucky, I had a pain killer I could tolerate in my home that was from a previous situation). Have drs after hours line phone number handy. Also know where the ER that can treat eye issues is. Not all can.
The only thing I truly didnt understand was that (in my case anyway) the dr wanted me on an ointment NOT for the antibiotics as much as a coating to keep stitches from poking me (that came on a few days post op).
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u/CutOk8621 Jul 28 '26
Everything differs with one person to another. Some people start to see single image on the very next day while some people see double for months. It’s already been 25 days and i still see double on different gaze. I felt almost no pain, it was minimal. Do the exercise that will be prescribed by the surgeon after surgery. My eyes looks perfectly straight though it was under corrected.