Strabismus Surgery in 5 days....Any personal experiences you can share?

I am having repeat strabismus surgery on my left eye soon. I had this surgery when I was 2 years old and am now 25 and of course I dont remember it. I am nervous :( My doctor told me I will be putting an ointment in my eye. I have heard that you swell, your eye is painful and very red, ect.

Has anyone had this surgery being older and can tell me what to expect? I have even heard that it is more painful when you are older. If you used the ointment..how often and how long did you use it for?

Thanks for any advice!!

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

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[JodieJ]

I had strab surgery in one eye with adjustable sutures as a middle-aged adult.  There was no pain involved at all.  I had surgery in the morning and went shopping at the mall that afternoon, wearing sunglasses to cover a red eye.  (No, I didn't drive there, but I was able to drive the next day.)  I did use some kind of drops or ointment for a week or two.  Your doctor will give you instructions.  Everyone's experience is different, but I don't think you have anything to worry about.  

[HeatherGurl84]

I hope mine is as easy. They are not doing adjustable suture on me and have told me due to having surgery so long ago with no records of what exactly was done...some exploration will need to be done.

I am worried :(

[JodieJ]

Your surgeon is not going to be doing any random exploration of your eye muscles.  Since your surgeon is aware of what your problem involves, s/he will only check specific muscle(s) to see what was done in the past.  And I'm certain that s/he knows the location of the muscle(s).  In any case, you will not be awake and will have no memory of the procedure.

I was given a prescription for pain medication after my procedure, but I never filled it.  (You probably will receive a prescription, too, or you can ask for one if needed.)  I never even needed a Tylenol.  The ointment that you put in your operated eye does cause blurred vision.  However, having surgery on only one eye makes recovery a lot easier, because you will have clear vision in your unoperated eye for driving, reading, watching TV, or whatever.  I think that your entire experience will be much easier than you are anticipating.  

[HeatherGurl84]

Do you remember how often you had to use the ointment?

[JodieJ]

Sorry, can't remember.  (Maybe 2-3 times a day???)  The ointment didn't sting, but it did blur my vision in that eye for awhile.  But I could still drive, read, etc. using my other eye.

Best wishes for a great outcome--and stop worrying!

[HeatherGurl84]

thank you :) I will stop worrying. Did you eyelid swell at all? They told me to use frozen peas on my eye....

[JodieJ]

I think it did swell a little--not very noticeably.  It never occurred to me to put anything on it.

I was given propofol (the Michael Jackson anesthesia that leaves your system very quickly), because I had to be awake when the surgeon adjusted my suture in the OR.  I felt fine immediately afterward and my eye actually felt normal, although the part near my nose (where the muscle had been adjusted) was red.  It took at least a week for the redness to disappear completely.

[HeatherGurl84]

okay yeah...that makes sense. :)

My doctor didnt say anything about the adjustable suture.

[JodieJ]

Adjustable sutures are often used to straighten eyes in cases where double vision is a symptom.  My surgeon had previously told me that he wasn't a big fan of this technique, but I guess it was standard in cases like mine.  I remember that he held up his thumb and asked me how many fingers I saw.  I guess he just wanted to see how both my eyes aligned before he tightened the knot in the suture.  If you're not having adjustable sutures, your procedure will be completely over when you wake up (most people's preference.)