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After Cataract Surgery

Posted , 6 users are following.

agnes90839
agnes90839

Does anyone know how long after Cataract Surgery you can rub your eyes if there is either something in them or they are itchy

0 likes, 20 replies

20 Replies

  • brizy
    brizy agnes90839

    Posted

    Hi agnes

    I was instructed not to touch my eyes at all, other than applying drops, for 2 weeks. Incidentally I was informed that really you should never rub your eyes even if you hadn't just had cataract surgery as apparently it can scratch your corneas.

    • agnes90839
      agnes90839 brizy

      Posted

      Hi Brizy, What should you do if there is something in your eye, before surgery I used to pull ny eylid over the bottom lid if there was something in it and if it was itchy I would rub it otherwise I would have gone mad but I am going a bit mad cause now that I have had surgery my eyes are itcher than ever before, havnt got anything in either of them yet and dreading the day that that should happen, would really appreciate if anyone knows if it was OK to rub your eyes after a certain time after surgery, I had my first eye done June 2016 and the second one in August 2016!!!!!!!!

      Regards Agnes

    • brizy
      brizy agnes90839

      Posted

      I'm sure you'll be ok to occasionally rub that long after surgery. I work as a joiner and quite regularly get things in my eyes. I always use an eye bath or if it is something big and noticeable, I get my wife to remove it with the corner of a moistened cotten handkerchief.

    • agnes90839
      agnes90839 brizy

      Posted

      Thanks Brizy, I will try not to rub them but its going to be very difficult, wouldnt want to dislodge the lens in any way, was just hoping that somone would say that it would be fine to rub your eye and it wouldnt do the lens any harm

      Regards Agnes

  • acc925
    acc925 agnes90839

    Posted

    I asked the same question of my surgeon.  It was about the 3 or 4 week mark that he said I could rub my eys.  He did say, though, that I shouldn't "wail on them."  I used to rub my eyes hard and long before surgery.  I wore rigid gas permeable contacts for many years and apparently wearers of this kind of contacts have eye rubbing in common. Who knew?  It always felt sooooo good.  But now, since surgery, I've trained myself never to rub my eyes, as I'm a little paranoid about it.  

    • agnes90839
      agnes90839 acc925

      Posted

      Hi Acc, not sure what "wail on them means", yes im paranoid about my eyes too, wouldnt want to dislodge the lens in any way, just hoped someone would say it was OK to rub eyes but not looking like thats going to happen

      Regards

      Agnes

    • acc925
      acc925 agnes90839

      Posted

      Agnes, I believe what my surgeon meant by "wail on them" was not rub to rigorously.  But, he said yes, I could rub my eyes (after 3 weeks post op).

  • caroline33921
    caroline33921 agnes90839

    Posted

    I am now 3 months post op and I still try to avoid rubbing my eyes and I'm very careful when I remove eye make up as I find particles of this still irritates my eye ! I read somewhere it's not really adviseable to rub your eye again .

    • agnes90839
      agnes90839 caroline33921

      Posted

      Hi Caroline, Its dreadful when your eye/eyes itch, I go nearly round the bend cause I am afraid to rub them incase I dilodge the lens, just hoped someone would say it was OK to rub them but dont think thats going to happen

      Regards

      Agnes

    • agnes90839
      agnes90839 caroline33921

      Posted

      Hi Again Caroline, forgot to say since I had my op I dont put any make up on my eyes just in case, I miss no eye make up but its better not to put any on rather than risk the make up irritating them

      Regards

      Agnes

    • caroline33921
      caroline33921 agnes90839

      Posted

      Hi Agnes I didn't wear any for four weeks but find its fine now , I missed not wearing it too .

    • rgCalifornia
      rgCalifornia agnes90839

      Posted

      During the weeks of "No Rubbing!" I would "cheat" if my eye itched.  I'd gently brush the eye with a kleenex.  That relieved the itching, avoiding introducing any dirt, and didn't put any pressure on the eye.

  • GretaGarbo
    GretaGarbo agnes90839

    Posted

    I would ask my doctor. I had my surgery in September and had a recent problem. The first thing my doctor asked was if I had rubbed my eye (I hadn't), so I would be very carful. You may have an allergy to a drop you're using. 

    • agnes90839
      agnes90839 GretaGarbo

      Posted

      Hi GG, Yes rubbing your eyes can be a big problem, my problem isnt anything to do with drops becasue im not using any and havnt since my eyes were operated on and I used the drops they prescribed for the month after ops.  My sight is good so I am just learning to live with the awful feeling in both my eyes, as I said before  I just couldnt bear to go back to the clinic and have them messing about again, its such a hassle and dont get anywhere in the end.

      Regards Agnes

    • GretaGarbo
      GretaGarbo agnes90839

      Posted

      Have you tried Systane Ultra? It's an over-the-counter eye lubricant. The Ultra has no preservatives. It may make your eyes feel a little better, even if only for a short time.. If you're not worried about the preservatives, you can get the regular Systane. It's cheaper. If it keeps up or gets worse, you should go to the clinic. Better to be safe, than sorry.

    • caroline33921
      caroline33921 agnes90839

      Posted

      It's difficult when my eye (cataract operation November 2016 ) gets sore or feels as if I have some debris in it , I wash it with some cool boiled water either by a small plastic syringe or I use an old eye drop bottle that I have cleaned , if needed I put some lubricant drops in afterwards , seems to work well for me .

    • agnes90839
      agnes90839 GretaGarbo

      Posted

      Hi GretaGarbo, like the name by the way, I remember her.  Will try these drops and let you know, it may be that I cant get them in the IK if you are in the US

      Regards Agnes

    • agnes90839
      agnes90839 caroline33921

      Posted

      Hi Caroline, thats a good idea re cleaning out an eye drop bottle to rinse out the eye with cooled boiled water, will try this if necessary

      Regards Agnes

    • rgCalifornia
      rgCalifornia agnes90839

      Posted

      I'd suggest a preservative-free eye rinse (usually containing saline).  It'll be the appropriate pH and sterile.  These are commonly sold for use with contact lenses (for rinsing the eye and/or the lens).

    • agnes90839
      agnes90839 rgCalifornia

      Posted

      Thank you once again rgCalifornia will find out when next in Pharmacy

      Regards Agnes

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