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How can you care for yourself at home?
Activity
- Rest when you feel tired. Getting enough sleep will help you recover.
- You may have trouble judging distances for a few days. Move slowly, and be careful going up and down stairs and pouring hot liquids. Ask for help if you need it.
- Ask your doctor when it is okay to drive.
- Wear your eye bandage, patch, or shield for as long as your doctor recommends. You may only need to wear it when you sleep.
- You can shower or wash your hair the day after surgery. Keep water, soap, shampoo, hair spray, and shaving lotion out of your eye, especially for the first week.
- Do not rub or put pressure on your eye for at least 1 week.
- Do not wear eye makeup for 1 to 2 weeks. You may also want to avoid face cream or lotion.
- Do not get your hair colored or permed for 10 days after surgery.
- Do not bend over or do any strenuous activities, such as biking, jogging, weight lifting, or aerobic exercise, for 2 weeks or until your doctor says it is okay.
- Avoid swimming, hot tubs, gardening, and dusting for 1 to 2 weeks.
- Wear sunglasses on bright days for at least 1 year after surgery.
Medicines
- Your doctor will tell you if and when you can restart your medicines. You will also be given instructions about taking any new medicines.
- If you stopped taking aspirin or some other blood thinner, your doctor will tell you when to start taking it again.
- Follow your doctor's instructions for when to use your eyedrops. Always wash your hands before you put your drops in. To put in eyedrops:
- Tilt your head back, and pull your lower eyelid down with one finger.
- Drop or squirt the medicine inside the lower lid.
- Close your eye for 30 to 60 seconds to let the drops or ointment move around.
- Do not touch the ointment or dropper tip to your eyelashes or any other surface.
- Follow your doctor's instructions for taking pain medicines.
When should you call for help?
Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:
- You passed out (lost consciousness).
- You have a sudden loss of vision.
- You have sudden chest pain, are short of breath, or cough up blood.
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:
- You have signs of an eye infection, such as:
- Pus or thick discharge coming from the eye.
- Redness or swelling around the eye.
- A fever.
- You have new or worse eye pain.
- You have vision changes.
- You have symptoms of a blood clot in your leg (called a deep vein thrombosis), such as:
- Pain in the calf, back of the knee, thigh, or groin.
- Redness and swelling in your leg or groin.
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:
- You do not get better as expected.
Current as of: July 31, 2024
Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff
Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
