General Eye Discharge Instructions
Taking care of your eye
Be sure to wash your hands before putting in eye drops or cleaning around your eye.
Use your medicine, eye drops or ointments as ordered. If you have questions about the instructions, please call (608) 263-7171 and ask to speak to a nurse. Eye drops are often used for 4 to 6 weeks or longer after surgery. When you come back to see your doctor, you will be told about any changes in your drop orders.
Stop using the eye drops and call your doctor right away if your eye or eyelid becomes unusually red, itchy or begins to swell.
If you have been given a eye shield, wear it to protect your eye at night or when you lie down to nap. You should also wear it during the day when you are not wearing glasses. Use the shield for until told to stop by your doctor.
If your eye is sensitive to bright sunlight, it may help to wear dark glasses.
If needed, you will be given a new eyeglass prescription 8 to 10 weeks after surgery. Wearing your old glasses to protect your eye will not hurt.
Activities
Housework: Unless your doctor tells you not to, you may do light work, but avoid heavy jobs like scrubbing floors.
Lifting: Avoid lifting objects weighing over 10 pounds for the first 10 days and weighing over 20 pounds for the first 3 weeks.
Moving around: Avoid bending your head below your waist for 2 weeks. Bend from the knees instead.
Climbing stairs: Be careful. Your depth perception may be changed and it will take a little while to adjust to it.
Driving: Check with your doctor before you start to drive again. (Riding in a car is all right).
Sex: You should wait 1 week after surgery before you resume sexual activities.
Washing your hair: The best way to wash your hair is to sit with your back to a sink and tip your head back. If you wash your hair in the shower, make sure no soap or shampoo gets in your eyes.
Reading and watching television: You may watch TV and read as much as you like as soon as it feels comfortable.
Diet: You can return to your normal diet right away.
Resuming your medicines: You may resume all the oral medicines you were taking before your surgery. In some cases, you might be told that you should not take aspirin, ibuprofen, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, for a certain amount of time. The eye drops you were taking before surgery may change after surgery. All this will be explained to you by your doctor.
Return appointment: Before you leave the hospital, a return visit to see your doctor will be made for you. Please bring all medicines with you every time you have an appointment.
The Spanish version of this Health Facts for You is #7276.
The information provided should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
Last Updated: 11/01/2011
Copyright © 01/28/2011 University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. All rights reserved. Produced by the Department of Nursing. HF#4372
Print Health Fact For You