[Anonymous]

#1020036

I’m having orbital decompression surgery on the 30th of this month (April). If anybody has any post-op or pre-op tips or suggestions they could give me i’d appreciate it. I’m getting my surgery done at the UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute. I was also wondering if anybody has heard anything bad or good about this hospital. Thanks

-Karinna

[Anonymous]

#1075792

Karinna,

I’m on the east coast, so I can’t help you as far as your surgery center, but I’ve been through decompression, and am happy to share my experience with you.

I had a fat decompression a couple of years ago, and more recently a two wall bone decompression. I was bruised and swollen pretty good for a week or so, but was able to cover the residual bruising up with makeup when I went back to work after a week. My surgeon told me to plan on spending the night, but he let me go home later in the afternoon (my surgery was early in the morning). I had some pain medication in the hospital, but only took one pill after I got home. After that, Tylenol was all I needed. I was mildly nauseous from the anesthesia, even with medication that they gave me for the nausea and had to have my husband drive a little slow on the way home as the motion made me very dizzy. I didn’t look too good, but my pain really wasn’t bad at all. It was a little uncomfortable trying to move my eyes, but you learn pretty quickly to just look at things straight on. I napped alot the first few days, but was able to do some light housework and a little baking (which is relaxing for me) during that first week home. I was told no heavy lifting or bending over for two weeks. There was a little discharge from my nose for a couple days, but nothing more than wiping it gently with a tissue. You also can’t blow your nose for two weeks, which is kind of annoying. I wasn’t able to tolerate my contacts for about two weeks, and they were rather uncomfortable for a couple more weeks after that, but I’m back to regular use now.

Although I was given a 95% chance of no double vision, I’ve been left with a little, so I’m going through the process of seeing a strabismus specialist now about that. Unfortunatley, that’s the only surgery my orbital surgeon does not do, so I’ve had to go through the process of seeing another doctor and may end up going out of town as there aren’t many strabismus surgeons in my area. Then probably back to the same surgeon to fix my upper lid, which is still a bit retracted.

Good luck to you with your surgery and please let us know how you make out. If you have any other questions before or after, please feel free to post and I’d be happy to share my experience with you if I can.

Sue

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