Eye Surgery - Not "Typical" Recovery

I'm so sorry! I think I know what she's going through. I had a scleral buckle stitched around my eye at age 30 after multiple retinal detachments. My eye had to be "extracted" from the socket to do that, and of course, the muscles were stretched to the max for that to be done. I was afraid to open my eye at the doc office when the bandages were removed the following day - I thought opening it would be painful, but it wasn't. Recovery was *really* uncomfortable for about a week - ANY movement of the eye muscles nearly brough me to tears. It hurt to read a book (tiny eye movements back and forth); I had to move my head each time I wanted to look at something new. It was easier to keep my eyes closed than try to remember not to swivel them to look at something.

I used a sack of peas in a thin dishcloth as an "ice pack" (my dad bought peas and carrots as a replacement - but the square cut carrots have pointy corners! ouch!) I also had vicodin for the first few days. Are you alternating tylenol and ibuprofen for the pain?

Can you get books on tape/DVD for entertainment? A new movie that she watches from across the room (no eye movement necessary).

Please keep me posted on her recovery - I'll be thinking about her!

~ D.

First of all, I grew up in Chula Vista! Second, my son had both eye muscle surgeries at Loma Linda (the inner muscles last sept when he was two and the outer muscles in dec when he was three.) Our ophthalmologist told us that sometimes older kids (3+) can go SEVERAL DAYS, almost a week even, with more pain and not wanting to open their eyes. When kids have this type of surgery they typically go home with just Tylenol. When adults have it they go home with narcotics. The younger they are, the better they do with pain. So at 4 she just may need a little more time to heal. I hope this perspective can help to ease your fears. But you were definitely right to call the doctor. You mommy intuition counts for a lot - you never know if something more could be going on unless you reach out. Wishing you all the best and a speedy recovery!

*Gotta talk to the doc on this one, sorry.

:(

Hope she's ok.

Take her to the Emergency Room immediately.I am an RN who does telephone advice. Let us know how it works out.

I think I would take her back to the doctor in the morning, if this hasn't changed.