Strabismus Surgery Recovery

[stacey2286]

Hello, I am 23 years old and one week ago had my first surgery for an intemittent exotropia. My doctor says that the misalignment is healing just like he is wanting it to. He told me that I am currently about 4 diopters over-corrected. I have some double vision still which he says is normal as well. About 5 days post surgery the white of my eye became swollen and he gave me antibiotics to be on the safe side. I went in to see him for what looks like a fissure on the white of my eye. Is this normal for healing? He operated on both the inner and outer muscle of the eye which had the problem. The inside is what is giving me the problem. And the day after surgery he adjusted the outer muscle. I'll be seeing him again in the morning to reassess, but he said before that I am just a bit more swollen than he would like me to be.

However, my main question is how soon the vision should return back to norma. Before surgery I had about 20/20 in both eyes. Perhaps closer to 20/25 in the operated eye. Right after my surgery I could only read the E at the top of the eye chart. On the 6th day I could read a few lines lower. And it does seem to still be improving. I'm concerned about it going back to normal, though. Does my vision sound to be healing normally after this surgery? The pain is decreasing and so is the redness of my eye. The only part that is a bit uncomfortable now, a week since surgery, is the corner of my eye where he operated on the inner muscle and also the same place where there appears to be a fissure. He said before that things should heal up normally. But I'm quite worried which is why I'm seeing him again soon.

I am just curious about the others who may be reading this and have had this surgery, or if a doctor could tell me: how long does it take for the vision to go back to normal in the operated eye?

Thank you sincerely for reading.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[stacey2286]

Yes, I believe you are correct about the eye drops. That is what they also told me about my change in vision. But I am a little worried. I've never worn glasses regularly until the past year to see if it might help the eye turn which of course it did not. But I do have a slight astigmatism in the eye which was operated on. I think that I am mainly worried now about the way the eye itself will heal. I hope that it does not scar. It looks pretty bad to me and in my dad's words "looks like he could have sutured it together tighter". I went to a very good doctor who has been in practice for over 20 years. I spoke with him on the phone and was told to continue my antibiotics and let him know how I am doing first thing next week. I have no pain, really. A dull, itchy feeling here and there. Or if I move my eye too quickly I might have a pain. The swelling of the white of my eye has gone down. Since he was not able to personally see me like I was hoping for today, I'll just have to anxiously wait to see how it heals up. Although he believes that it should heal normally.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[JodieJ]

If you are using eye drops, that is probably what is affecting your vision.  My vision returned to normal after strab surgery when I stopped the drops.  I've also read that it's possible for the surgery to change your astigmatism so that you need a slightly different prescription for glasses/contacts.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

The surgery does not normally effect the visual acuity. If its still blurred when you have you next visit press for an explanation. If none is forthcoming get a second opinion.

jHC MD