Discharge Advice to Patients Following Eye Surgery

How to use your eye drops

• It is important to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your eyes.
• If you need to clean your eye, use freshly boiled water that has been allowed to cool and clean cotton wool pads. Wipe gently over the eyelids from the nose towards the ear, once only, and then discard the pad. Use a fresh pad for each wipe. Do not rub your eye vigorously.
• Shake the bottle and take off the lid. Do not allow the tip of the bottle to touch your eye, eyelids, eyelashes or fingers.
• It is usually advised to do the drops if possible, lying flat or tilt your head back and place the bottle horizontally on the bridge of your nose (so that the tip is pointing towards your operated eye).
• Gently pull down the lower eyelid to create a small pocket and look up.
• Squeeze the bottle until a drop falls into the lower eyelid. Do not worry if more than one drops goes into the eye.
• Close your eyes and use a clean tissue to wipe away any excess drop.
• Ensure that you put the eye drops in as instructed. Please leave five minutes between drops to prevent washing out the previous drop.
• You will need to continue using the eye drops until you are reviewed at your outpatient appointment,, unless you are advised otherwise by your eye care team . Please arrange a repeat prescription with your GP before your eye drops run out, if needed.
• Once opened, the bottle should be discarded after four weeks.
• You may experience a taste of the drops in your mouth. This is normal as the tear duct which drains tears to your nose will also drain away some of the drops.

General advice

• Your GP will receive a discharge letter informing them of your operation details and medication.
• Tape the eye shield over the operated eye at night to protect it for the first week at home.
• If your eye is uncomfortable, you may take your normal pain relief tablets like Paracetamol provided that you normally take this safely and have not been advised to avoid it.
• You may continue with your usual activities such as watching television or reading. If you wish to wash your hair, ensure you do not get shampoo directly into your operated eye.
• Avoid swimming and strenuous exercise or other sports until you have been reviewed at your outpatient appointment, unless your eye care team advises you otherwise.

When to seek help

Contact the eye team using the details below if you have any concerns or if you experience:

• increasing or severe pain
• a sudden or worsening loss of vision
• increasing redness of the eye
• sticky or unusual discharge from the eye
• increasing swelling
• new flashes of light, a sudden increase in floaters, or a curtain/shadow across your vision
• any other symptoms that concern you

If you experience a sudden, severe loss of vision or severe eye pain, seek urgent medical attention.

Contacts

Cataract Nurses: 01223 216982

Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 17:00

Glaucoma Nurses: 01223 274889

Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 17:00

Retinal Nurses: 01223 274865

Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 17:00

Emergency Eye Clinic: 01223 217778

Triage line Monday to Friday 08:00-16:00

Ophthalmologist on-call: 01223 245151 (out of hours)