It is performed to reposition,strengthen or weaken the extraocular muscles located on the eye surface. This article gives information about general description, preparation and steps to be taken after eye muscle surgery.
Description
During surgery, muscles of the eye can be:
- Tightened — Muscle tightening can be done by resection. In this procedure, a piece of the muscle is removed near its insertion point and then the muscle is reinserted in its original location. This results in shortening of the muscle and therefore it is strengthened.
- Weakened — This involves eye muscle recessing or moving eye muscle posteriorly on the eye to elongate it and gives relaxation to the muscle tissue.
- Repositioned — For some types of strabismus, the muscles of the eye are neither strengthened nor weakened, but they are repositioned. It means the insertion point of muscle is shifted to a different location.
Preparation for surgery
Patients should inform their doctors if they are taking any medicines. Patients should stop taking aspirin or other medications 10 days before the operation. Make sure you don’t eat or drink anything after midnight before the night prior to surgery.
Aftercare
- After surgery, you may experience itchy sensation, but it is not very painful.
- Sometimes eyes become little red and also watery after surgery.
- Hemorrhage may be seen under the conjunctival membranes for two or three weeks after surgery. Yellow discoloration is seen as it clears.
- You may experience itchiness in your eyes until the sutures are dissolved which are placed at the final stage of the surgery.
- After surgery there may be some discharge and swelling. Usually, the swelling is minor. Patients should try to open their eyes in two days after surgery.
- Patients should take help from someone after the operation to drive home. Patients should talk to their doctor about what medications they need to avoid.
- Do not wet your eyes for four to five days after the operation. Avoid swimming for about 10 days.
Above are some of the important steps to be taken after eye muscle surgery.
