A Patient’s Journey:

Eye Surgery Day 1

Day of eye surgery, Lid and Brow

My appointment is today at 10:00 a.m. Surgery at 11:00.

I was prepped in the pre op/recovery room. Had gown on, port in my arm, paper slippers on my feet. Nurse anesthetist walked me down to the surgery room. I laid down on the table and the nurses put a pillow under my knees. Nurse anesthetist said I’m giving you a little to start with and I don’t remember anything else until I was back in the room recovering with ice pack mask on my eyes. The NA had told me that I would be awakened in the operating room and put in a wheelchair and brought back to the room, but I don’t remember it.

My nurse was talking to me as I came around. My ride was called and they told him I would be ready in about 15 minutes.

I put my blue scarf on over the head bandage, very gently, and I noticed I could see the blue at the top of my forehead. My overhead vision was already improved.

Got a bag of information with numbers to call, my prescription for pain meds, and my appointment for the next day to have bandage removed.

Nurse walked me out to the car I think it was around 2:00-2:30 p.m.

We stopped to pick up the medication and went home. I couldn’t bring myself to look in the mirror today.

Ice, ice and more ice for the rest of the day and into the night. My friend staying with me was an angel and got me whatever I needed.

Around 4pm the anesthesia was wearing down and I could start to feel a dull pain. I’m a wimp when it comes to taking medications, so I only took one pain pill at the first dose. About 2 hours later I took another one. I took a pain pill at 10:00 so I could sleep.

Didn’t eat much today, just a piece of toast with peanut butter. I found it hard to open my mouth, so I cut it into small pieces. Also a bit of a sore throat from whatever they stick down there.

Had my friend help put the antibiotic gel on lids, twice a day.

Was having a hard time sleeping on my back, I’m used to tossing and turning all night. I was sleeping downstairs to be closer to the ice. Pillow under my knees was helpful. Woke up at 1:00 am and took a Tylenol.

Later when I woke up my head bandage had come completely off so I called the 24-hour line to ask what to do. They called back within a few minutes and said we could try to slip it back on or rewrap it. It slipped back on fairly easily with two people doing it.

I have stitches (2), staples (15) and 2 screws in my head.

Eye Surgery Day 2

Still have pain but not too bad, continuing to take Tylenol when needed.

Brought myself to look in the mirror today. YIKES!! Right eye lid very, very red. About an hour later left eye just as red. Still icing all the time and trying to find the best method to do so.

Doctor appointment at 12:15 today to have bandage removed. The doctor said it looked good, and clinical staff removed the bandage. Still wearing my cotton scarf on head. The scarf also protects the staples from getting caught on anything. Hat feels too tight and the scarf can be adjusted. Also worth noting, there is a lot of goop on my head from surgery. Doctor said I could wash my hair but it was still to tender to touch and you can’t bend over.

Still icing and resting. It’s hard to sleep on my back so I’m not getting really great sleep. Still taking Tylenol as needed. I wear the cotton scarf at night as well so that the staples don’t get caught in the bedding

Lots of swelling, keep icing, resting, drinking fluids. Many family and friends checking in on me via phone.

Still a bit of a sore throat and forehead is very tender to touch.

Also setting alarm to remind me to put antibiotic gel on eyelids twice a day.

Ate a bit more today toast and peanut butter, coffee, and lots of liquids.

Still very red today and a bit of purple starting to show up on the edges. Both eyes can look different and have different characteristics including color, swelling, etc.

Eye Surgery Day 3

Icing, icing and more icing. Antibiotic gel still twice a day. Still taking Tylenol but not as frequently. 

Swelling appears in different places on eye. Sometimes red, sometimes a bit purple and starting to show up below eye as well.

Still having a hard time sleeping on back and have tried to put pillows on each side of me while sleeping. Pillow still under knees helps too.

I’m still on main floor sleeping and spending most of my time. Still icing quite a bit.

Eye Surgery Day 4

Slept a bit better than last night, finally. Noticing swelling in different places and swelling below eyes too.

Today I discovered that if you take a half a cup of frozen peas and put into a sandwich size baggie, you can move peas around to get into the strange places swelling is occurring. The regular pads just go over eyes and don’t actually fit into the crevices where needed. I had several made and just kept refreezing them. Used them for a couple weeks.

Doctor appointment this morning at 11:15 to have stitches taken out. These two stitches go from eye lid at top of nose and goes through lid to side of forehead. It was a blue string that was taped off above eyebrow and beside eye at temple. These are pulled out from the side of temple and come all the way through from the other side. There was one stitch for each eye. It felt really weird going across the lid.

I go back to doctor office in one week to have staples and screws removed. The doctor said I can ease up a bit on restrictions but still wants me to take it easy for a while.

The bruising has given me large racoon eyes with black and blue and red circles on my cheeks. These are very large circles.

Eye Surgery Day 5

Every day eyes look different and each eye can look different from the other as well. Swelling happens in corners and peas make it easier to work on the swelling in hard to get to spots.

Staples are bothering me today, even though I still wear a cotton scarf 24/7.

No Tylenol today but will take before bedtime.

Still icing off and on all day.

Eye Surgery Day 6

Left eye better than right eye. Still swelling on inside corner and on lid, but less than yesterday.

Second time washing hair. Being very careful around screws and staples because it’s still very tender. Using light fingertip action. Blow dry remembering all the metal there. Light use of brush.

Eye color of the day is yellow. Around and below eyes. That’s a change from mostly red with purple edges the past two days.

Still wearing cotton scarf, a hat is just too tight. Scarf keeps staples from getting bumped and also from grossing other people out. Didn’t think people would want to look at it when looking at me.

I left the house today for the first time.

Still icing frequently.

Eye Surgery Day 7

Right eye still has redness and purplish and some yellow mixed in. Left eye looking great.

Still icing right eye and looking forward to day 11 when the staples and screws are removed.

Eye Surgery Day 8

One week later.

Today it looks great. Small black and blue marks on inside right eye and at corners of right eye. Some swelling in upper cheek pockets.

I feel great.

Hardly even notice the staples and screws except if I bump them or touch while brushing hair.

Can’t wait for Thursday and removal of staples and screws.

Iced today morning, noon and in evening.

Again, can’t wait to get screws and staples out on Thursday.

Eye Surgery Day 9

Black and blue gone for the most part, fainter every day. Numbness still there but slowly getting better.

Eye Surgery Day 10

Get out screws tomorrow. Black and blue mostly gone and gets fainter every day.

Eye Surgery Day 11

Clinical staff took out the screws and staples.

Still have a bit of swelling below eyes and upper cheek. I can see it out my peripheral vision.

15 Staples and 2 screws. They came out with no pain at all. The screws actually came out with a screwdriver. They were longer than I had thought. Dime size.

Eye Surgery Day 12

Very minor swelling and right lid takes a few hours to get into place. Still have scabs on head where screws and staples were. Clinical staff said they will fall off.

The numbness is getting better on my scalp. Doctor said it should come back in a few months, although there is a chance it may never come back.

Eye Surgery Day 13 and 14

Still scabs on head. I have been massaging my scalp to see if it helps restore circulation in that area.

Went for a walk today around the block but I think I may have overdone it on the hill. It gave me a headache.

Day 15 Eye Surgery, 2 weeks out

It’s amazing how much healing has taken place. Can hardly even tell I had surgery. Still have a headache from yesterday’s walk. Surgery center called to check on my progress.

Eye Surgery Day 16 – 21

Can walk on flat surfaces without pain. Still have scabs and numbness on scalp. Went out for a short walk. One scab still remaining. Put Vaseline on it to soften it and it came off a couple days later.

Day 33

Doctor visit. Still have some swelling at staple and screw locations. Next follow up in 2 months. Doctor says it’s still healing. Said if right eye lid remains droopy, there is a fix that is not as invasive.

Day 39

Still some numbness on head, but it’s getting better every day. Staple and screw areas healed but still sensitive.

Day 41

Still tender in areas where staples and screws were. Still a little numbness on scalp.

Day 46

Numbness getting less and less, still tender areas.

Day 52

About 90% feeling back in scalp. Right eyelid still a bit droopier than left.

Day 63

2-month check-up. Scalp probably at 95%. Right lid still a bid droopier.

Day 93, 3 month check in with doctor

97% feeling back in scalp and slight improvement in right eye. Doctor says to schedule the procedure in 2 months to make a slight correction. If it continues to heal and the procedure is not needed, just call to cancel it.