After surgery

In most cases, viscocanalostomy surgery is done as a day case, so you can leave hospital when you have recovered.  

Before you leave hospital, you'll have a patch placed over your eye to protect it. This can be removed the next day. If you have poor vision in the eye that has not been operated on, you'll have a clear shield instead of a patch on the operated eye, so that you can still see and move around.

Pain after surgery

After the surgery, it's normal for your eye to be a little red, swollen and feel a little uncomfortable. You might be aware of the tiny stitches used for the surgery.

Although uncomfortable, these symptoms are not serious, and will get better over the first few weeks.

If you have pain after the surgery, you can take regular painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen (unless you have been advised not to take these). Always follow the instructions on the packet. 

You must avoid rubbing your eye at any point as this could cause the eye pressure to drop too low, which could lead to serious complications.

Symptoms after surgery

• Blurry vision. This should improve over the first few weeks.
• Small blister under the upper eyelid, which is a result of the surgery. This is nothing to worry about.

You'll have stitches on the outside of the eye which will dissolve by themselves. 

It's usual for the operated eye to be a little sticky in the mornings. You can gently clean your eyelids with cooled, boiled water. Please speak to your doctor for instructions about this. Always make sure you wash your hands before cleaning your eye. 

Often the upper eyelid can be a little bit lower after surgery, sometimes giving the impression that the eye is more closed. This often improves as the eye recovers, but if it does not, a procedure can be done to improve the position of the upper eyelid.

Changes to your medicines

Anti-inflammatory and antibiotic eye drops 

After the surgery, the inside of the eye is often inflamed (swollen).

You'll be given:

• anti-inflammatory drops (usually dexamethasone) to reduce inflammation
• antibiotic drops (usually chloramphenicol). These drops are used to prevent infection after surgery, and you usually need to use them 4 times a day

Your doctor will give you specific instructions about using the drops. You should continue to use the anti-inflammatory and antibiotic eye drops as directed by your doctor. Please only use the eye drops that your doctor has told you to use.

Always wash your hands before using any eye drops. 

Glaucoma drops 

If you use glaucoma drops, you'll usually stop putting them into your operated eye. If you are not sure what to do, please check with one of the healthcare professionals caring for you.

If you are using glaucoma drops in the unoperated eye, please continue to use them unless clearly instructed otherwise. Make sure you wash your hands before you use them. 

Acetazolamide tablets

If you have been on acetazolamide tablets for eye pressure control before the operation, these are stopped immediately after the operation. 

Resuming your normal activities

It's important that you rest in the first 48 hours (2 days) after surgery. This includes no heavy lifting or operating heavy machinery.

For 2 weeks after surgery, avoid stooping, bending and strenuous activity, or until your doctor says otherwise.

You should also avoid swimming and contact sports. It's safe to bathe, shower, watch TV, and read as normal. 

Do not change your glasses for at least 6 weeks after surgery as your vision may change over this time.

Driving 

It may be better not to drive for the first week, until your vision starts to improve in the operated eye. You must fulfil the legal requirements for driving, with respect to vision standards and visual fields. Depending on your level of glaucoma before surgery, and level of vision after surgery, your doctor can advise you about driving.

Usually, if you were legally able to drive before surgery, and your vision settles down after surgery, you should still be able to drive.

More information on eye conditions and driving can be found on the GOV.UK website. 

Going back to work

If you work, you should arrange to be off for about 1 week, but this will depend on your employment and the level of vision in your other eye. You may need more time off if you do heavy manual work or work that involves dirt or dust. 

Travelling

You should check with your doctor if it's safe for you to travel. 

Follow-up appointments

You'll be given a follow-up appointment in the eye clinic outpatient department within a few days of the operation. This is so we can check how your surgery is functioning, and how your eye is recovering.

You must come to all your clinic follow-up visits. At first, we need to check regularly that the surgery is working well and that there are no complications. Sometimes eye pressure can be high immediately after the surgery and you'll be given a tablet to treat this. 

You might have to come to the clinic every few weeks for the first couple of months after the surgery. Eye pressures in the first 3 months can be a little bit unpredictable and you should not be too concerned. If the eye pressure starts to increase after 3 months, we might suggest other procedures or eye drops. You'll start to visit less often after this. Your doctor will decide how often you need to be seen, as every patient is different.