At this point the eye should be pain free or almost pain free and the vision good. If not an explanation should be sought. If your surgeon is unresponsive get a second opinion. Find an Eye MD surgeon near you at www.geteyesmart.org
JCH MD
My mother had a hard cataract removed on July 25. We were told she has stitches because there was some tearing. The eye is still very painful, sometimes keeping her awake. She still has the stitches in. Her doctor didn't seem concerned about the pain during her last appointment at the end of August and offhandedly blamed swelling for it. Is this much pain normal? She is only using moisturizing eyedrops now and has been taken off the prescription ones.
The wound normally is closed and water-tight after 6-8 weeks. If you had 8 stictches that a huge number for modern small incision surgery. You surgery may have had to switch to large incision, manual extracapsular surgery. Ask them if they had to switch to large incision surgery.
JCH III MD
Thanks for the information. It was not explained to me. Once the stitches are removed, should I expect a water tight incision? I am having five stitches removed this week and the rest at a later date. Is this unusual? I have 8 stitches. I can feel the stitches. Is this bcause the swelling is going down?
It often take the eye longer to heal after a hard cataract removal due to swelling of the cornea. Stitches are used when the small incision is tested at the end of the case and found NOT to be water-tight. Usually there is just one stitch that may or may not be removed about 6-8 weeks after surgery.
JCH III MD