I had decompression surgery almost 2 years ago due to double vision issues. I could no longer drive, watch television or read and wore prism glasses for correction. I did each eye separately, about 3 months apart, and then 6 months later had strabismus surgery. That surgery levels the eyes and eye muscles and further relieves the double vision. I had eyelid surgery following that. I am still not finished as the eyelid surgery has failed 3 times. I have now been told that one of the eyes is in hot phase again, and I may have to do it all over in that eye. My initial cold phase was 12 months. I think that just illustrates that everyone is different, and each person’s treatment and recovery will be unique to them.
It can be a long process, and I was initially scared, but I didn’t feel any of it was too painful. As a matter of fact, I never took pain meds other than aspirins except the first day of the decompressions. In addition, because of the repeated eyelid surgery failures, we did the last one with me sitting up in a chair and only a local anesthesia shot. Surprisingly, it didn’t bother me at all. At any rate, when coupled with the strabismus, it did indeed help my double vision. I got sick on the anesthesia and told my doctor, so the next surgeries they put anti-nausea meds in my IV, and it worked perfectly.
I bruise and swell horribly, so with my doctor’s recommendation and my own research, I took Arnica Montana tablets for a few days before surgery. It does help with swelling and bruising. It did take me several months for the bruising to dissipate each time, but, as I said, I bruise quite easily.
