If you need to have a general anesthetic for another surgery, tell your surgeon and anesthetist that you have a gas bubble in your eye. Tell your surgeon about any upcoming surgeries.

Gas Bracelet & Card

Your nurse will give you a gas bracelet and a wallet card
The bracelet works like a Medic Alert tag — it tells others that you have gas in your eye
Keep the bracelet on and carry the card with you at all times until the gas bubble is gone

Managing Pain:

Some mild discomfort is normal

You may take:

Ibuprofen (Advil) every 6 hours with food for the first 24 hours (unless you’re allergic or have kidney problems)
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) as needed
Do NOT take Aspirin (ASA) or other blood thinners unless approved by your surgeon
A scratchy feeling in your eye is normal after surgery

Medication & Eye Drops

Keep taking all regular medications, including eye drops for your other eye, as prescribed
Follow the eye drop schedule given to you by your nurse or doctor

Activity Guidelines

- Right After Surgery (First Week):

You may:

Watch TV
Read
Use a computer
Ride in a car (but do not drive)
Walk
Bathe, shower, shave, or wash your hair

(Avoid getting dirt or soapy water in your operative eye)

Be sure to:

Follow all head positioning instructions from your surgeon
Avoid quick movements
Do not bump or jerk your head

- After 1 Week (Unless Your Surgeon Says Otherwise):

You may:

Do light chores (cooking, washing dishes, etc.)
DO NOT scrub floors or lift anything heavier than 10 pounds
Get your hair done at a salon
Wear eye makeup

For 6 weeks following your surgery you should avoid:

Gardening and working around dirt, dust or chemicals

Heavy lifting

Swimming or hut-tubbing

Holding back a sneeze or cough, let it out gently

Straining or becoming constipated. Drink lots of fluids and eat healthy. If needed, take a mild laxative or a stool softener

Ask your pharmacist for more information

What Not to Do (Until Your Surgeon Says It’s Okay)

Do not:

Drive a car
Push, pull, or lift anything heavier than 20 pounds
Play contact sports
Return to work
Wash your eye with tap water or any cleaning solution

Your eye surgeon will tell you when it’s safe to go back to your usual activities.

What to Expect After Surgery

Temporary Numbness & Vision Changes.

Your forehead and/or cheek on the operated side may feel numb from the anesthetic
- This may last until the next day
You might not be able to fully move your operated eye at first
- This can cause double vision — it’s normal and will improve gradually

Common Eye Symptoms (Normal):

Your eye may:

Be sensitive to light
Appear red or swollen
Feel scratchy, itchy, or burning
Produce watery or slightly bloody tears
Have blurry vision
Have a small amount of discharge at the edges of your eyelids

To Clean Your Eyelids:

Close your eye
Use a clean washcloth slightly dampened with clean, warm water
Gently wipe the edges of your eyelids
Do not rub or touch your eye directly
Use a tissue to dab any tears from your cheek

Eye Protection and/or Glasses

Do not wear a cloth eye pad or patch at anytime. Only wear your eye shield

For 1 week after your surgery, you must wear eye protection at all times:

Wear regular glasses or sunglasses during the day

Wear your eye shield at night

You must keep wearing your eye shield at night until your surgeon says it's OK to stop. This is usually for 7 days

You will be prescribed an eye drop that will keep your pupils dilated. Wear sunglasses when you are out in the sun

Using Eye Drops or Ointments

Take your eye medication as told by your nurse or eye doctor

Wash your hands well with soap and water

Shake the bottle well

Tilt your head back, you may sit or lie down

Open both eyes and look up

With 1 finger, pull your lower eyelid down gently

Place 1 drop of medication into the pocket made when your lower eyelid is pulled down

Do not touch your eyelid or your eye with the tip of the bottle

Close your eye gently. Keep it closed for 1 full minute. With a tissue, gently remove any extra drops from your cheek

Do not stop using your drops for your other eye

Wash your hands well with soap and water

Follow-up Appointment

Keep follow-up visits with your eye doctor. Bring your medication(s) and eye drops with you to these visits

You will be given a follow up appointment for the next day. Your appointment will be at your eye surgeons office or at the Eye Center in the Pasqua Hospital

Call Your Eye Surgeon Right Away if You Have:

Pain that is not helped by the pain medication we advised
Vision that gets worsen
Very bad swelling
Nausea and vomiting that is not helped by the medication we advised

If you can not reach your eye surgeon, call 306-766-2222 and ask to have the ophthalmology on call paged or go to the nearest Emergency Department.

After Retinal Surgery

After Your Surgery: What to Expect

- If You Had a Local Anesthetic (Freezing Drops for Your Eye):

You will be taken back to the Day Surgery Unit
A nurse will go over how to care for your eye at home
When your healthcare team says you are ready, you will be discharged home
You must have a driver to take you home

- If You Had a General Anesthetic (Put to Sleep for Surgery):

You will wake up in the Recovery Area
A nurse will check on you often to make sure you are doing well
Once you are fully awake and stable, you’ll be moved to the Day Surgery Unit
There, you will learn about your eye care at home
When your healthcare team says it’s safe, you will be discharged home with your driver

If you have gas or air placed in your eye during surgery

At the end of surgery, gas or air is often left in the eye to help the retinal heal. Your retina is in the back of your eye.

Why is Gas or Air Used?

Sometimes, gas or air is placed in your eye at the end of surgery to help your retina heal
The retina is the thin layer at the back of your eye that helps you see

How it Works?

Gas rises inside the eye
When you lay face down, the gas presses against your retina to help keep it flat and in place
If you lay on your back, the gas presses on the lens of your eye instead. This can cause serious complications

Important Instructions:

DO NOT lie on your back
Your surgeon may ask you to:
Keep your face down
Lay on your side (specific side depends on your condition)
DO NOT fly in an airplane or go to high altitudes (such as mountains) until your doctor says it’s safe
Gas expands at high altitudes, which can cause pain, pressure, or serious damage to your eye

After Your Eye Surgery: What to Expect

If You Had a Local Anesthetic (Freezing Drops for Your Eye):

You will be taken back to the Day Surgery Unit
A nurse will go over how to care for your eye at home
When your healthcare team says you are ready, you will be discharged home
You must have a driver to take you home

If You Had a General Anesthetic (Put to Sleep for Surgery):

You will wake up in the Recovery Area
A nurse will check on you often to make sure you are doing well
Once you are fully awake and stable, you’ll be moved to the Day Surgery Unit
There, you will learn about your eye care at home
When your healthcare team says it’s safe, you will be discharged home with your driver

If you have gas or air placed in your eye during surgery

At the end of surgery, gas or air is often left in the eye to help the retinal heal. Your retina is in the back of your eye.

Why is Gas or Air Used?

Sometimes, gas or air is placed in your eye at the end of surgery to help your retina heal

The retina is the thin layer at the back of your eye that helps you see

How It Works:

Gas rises inside the eye
When you lay face down, the gas presses against your retina to help keep it flat and in place
If you lay on your back, the gas presses on the lens of your eye instead. This can cause serious complications

Important Instructions:

DO NOT lie on your back
Your surgeon may ask you to:

- Keep your face down

- Lay on your side (specific side depends on your condition)

DO NOT fly in an airplane or go to high altitudes (such as mountains) until your doctor says it’s safe

- Gas expands at high altitudes, which can cause pain, pressure, or serious damage to your eye

If you need to have a general anesthetic for another surgery, tell your surgeon and anesthetist that you have a gas bubble in your eye. Tell your surgeon about any upcoming surgeries.

Gas Bracelet and Card

Your nurse will give you a gas bracelet and a wallet card
The bracelet works like a MedicAlert tag — it tells others that you have gas in your eye
Keep the bracelet on and carry the card with you at all times until the gas bubble is gone

Managing Pain

Some mild discomfort is normal
You may take:

- Ibuprofen (Advil) every 6 hours with food for the first 24 hours (unless you’re allergic or have kidney problems)

- Acetaminophen (Tylenol) as needed

DO NOT take Aspirin (ASA) or other blood thinners unless approved by your surgeon
A scratchy feeling in your eye is normal after surgery

Medication and Eye Drops

Keep taking all regular medications, including eye drops for your other eye, as prescribed.
Follow the eye drop schedule given to you by your nurse or doctor.

Activity Guidelines

Right After Surgery (First Week):

You may:

Watch TV
Read
Use a computer
Ride in a car (but do not drive)
Walk
Bathe, shower, shave, or wash your hair

Avoid getting dirt or soapy water in your

operative eye

After 1 Week (Unless Your Surgeon Says Otherwise):

You may:

Do light chores (cooking, washing dishes, etc.)
DO NOT scrub floors or lift anything more than 10 pounds
Get your hair done at a salon
Wear eye makeup

Be sure to:

Follow all head positioning instructions from your surgeon
Avoid quick movements
Do not bump or jerk your head

What Not to Do (Until Your Surgeon Says It’s Okay)

Do not:

Drive a car
Push, pull, or lift anything heavier than 20 pounds
Play contact sports
Return to work
Wash your eye with tap water or any cleaning solution

Your eye surgeon will tell you when it’s safe to go back to your usual activities.

For 6 weeks following surgery you should avoid:

Gardening and working around dirt, dust or chemicals
Heavy lifting
Swimming or hut-tubbing
Holding back a sneeze or cough, let it out gently
Straining or becoming constipated. Drink lots of fluids and eat healthy. If needed, take a mild laxative or a stool softener
Ask your pharmacist for more information

What to Expect After Surgery

Temporary Numbness & Vision Changes

Your forehead and/or cheek on the operated side may feel numb from the anesthetic
- This may last until the next day
You might not be able to fully move your operated eye at first
- This can cause double vision — it’s normal and will improve gradually

Common Eye Symptoms (Normal)

Your eye may:

Be sensitive to light
Appear red or swollen
Feel scratchy, itchy, or burning
Produce watery or slightly bloody tears
Have blurry vision
Have a small amount of discharge at the edges of your eyelids

To clean your eyelids:

Close your eye
Use a clean washcloth slightly dampened with clean, warm water
Gently wipe the edges of your eyelids
Do not rub or touch your eye directly
Use a tissue to dab any tears from your cheek

Eye Protection and/or Glasses

Do not wear a cloth eye pad or patch at anytime. Only wear your eye shield
For 1 week after your surgery, you must wear eye protection at all times
Wear regular glasses or sunglasses during the day.
Wear your eye shield at night
You must keep wearing your eye shield at night until your surgeon says it's OK to stop. This is usually for 7 days
You will be prescribed an eye drop that will keep your pupils dilated. Wear sunglasses when you are out in

the sun

Using Eye Drops or Ointments

Take your eye medication as told by your nurse or eye doctor
Wash your hands well with soap and water
Shake the bottle well
Tilt your head back, you may sit or lie down
Open both eyes and look up
With 1 finger, pull your lower eyelid down gently
Place 1 drop of medication into the pocket made when your lower eyelid is pulled down
DO NOT touch your eyelid or your eye with the tip of the bottle
Close your eye gently. Keep it closed for 1 full minute With a tissue, gently remove any extra drops from your cheek
DO NOT stop using your drops for your other eye
Wash your hands well with soap and water

Follow-up Appointment

Keep follow-up visits with your eye doctor. Bring your medication(s) and eye drops with you to these visits
You will be given a follow up appointment for the next day. Your appointment will be at your eye surgeons office or at the Eye Center in the Pasqua Hospital

Call Your Eye Surgeon Right Away if You Have:

Pain that is not helped by the pain medication we advised
Vision that gets worsen
Very bad swelling
Nausea and vomiting that is not helped by the medication we advised

If you can not reach your eye surgeon, call 306-766-2222 and ask to have the ophthalmology on call paged or go to the nearest Emergency Department.

Gas Bracelet & Card

Managing Pain:

Medication & Eye Drops

Activity Guidelines

- Right After Surgery (First Week): ​ You may: ​

Watch TV

Read

Use a computer

Ride in a car (but do not drive)

Walk

Bathe, shower, shave, or wash your hair (Avoid getting dirt or soapy water in your operative eye)

- After 1 Week (Unless Your Surgeon Says Otherwise):

For 6 weeks following your surgery you should avoid:

What Not to Do (Until Your Surgeon Says It’s Okay)

What to Expect After Surgery

​

Temporary Numbness & Vision Changes.

​

Common Eye Symptoms (Normal):

Eye Protection and/or Glasses

Using Eye Drops or Ointments

Call Your Eye Surgeon Right Away if You Have:

About Us

After Retinal Surgery

After Your Surgery: What to Expect

- If You Had a Local Anesthetic (Freezing Drops for Your Eye):

You will be taken back to the Day Surgery Unit

A nurse will go over how to care for your eye at home

When your healthcare team says you are ready, you will be discharged home

You must have a driver to take you home

- If You Had a General Anesthetic (Put to Sleep for Surgery):

You will wake up in the Recovery Area

A nurse will check on you often to make sure you are doing well

Once you are fully awake and stable, you’ll be moved to the Day Surgery Unit

There, you will learn about your eye care at home

When your healthcare team says it’s safe, you will be discharged home with your driver

If you have gas or air placed in your eye during surgery

At the end of surgery, gas or air is often left in the eye to help the retinal heal. Your retina is in the back of your eye.

Why is Gas or Air Used?

How it Works?

Important Instructions:

After Your Eye Surgery: What to Expect

If you have gas or air placed in your eye during surgery

Gas Bracelet and Card

Managing Pain

Medication and Eye Drops

Activity Guidelines

After 1 Week (Unless Your Surgeon Says Otherwise): You may:

Do light chores (cooking, washing dishes, etc.)

DO NOT scrub floors or lift anything more than 10 pounds

Get your hair done at a salon

Wear eye makeup

Be sure to:

Follow all head positioning instructions from your surgeon

Avoid quick movements

Do not bump or jerk your head

​

What Not to Do (Until Your Surgeon Says It’s Okay)

For 6 weeks following surgery you should avoid:

What to Expect After Surgery

Eye Protection and/or Glasses

Using Eye Drops or Ointments

Call Your Eye Surgeon Right Away if You Have:

- Right After Surgery (First Week):

You may:

Bathe, shower, shave, or wash your hair

(Avoid getting dirt or soapy water in your operative eye)

After 1 Week (Unless Your Surgeon Says Otherwise):

You may: