How to Reduce Pain After Your Glaucoma Surgery

Glaucoma surgery reduces eye pressure and prevents future vision loss. Following glaucoma surgery, it's normal to feel some discomfort or mild pain. After all, you just had an eye operation, so it takes a few days to recover.

But the good news is that you can do plenty of things to reduce pain and the other side effects of glaucoma surgery. Below, Cory Bergman, MD, in Rapid City, South Dakota, and Casper, Wyoming, discusses four ways to reduce eye pain following glaucoma surgery.

Take over-the-counter pain relievers

You can relieve any discomfort experienced post-surgery with basic analgesics, like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and acetaminophen. Following glaucoma surgery, you shouldn't be in a lot of pain. The pain should be mild, which is why the drugs above help. If you experience a high degree of pain, call our office immediately or visit the emergency room.

Keep your eyes protected

After the surgery, Dr. Bergman places a pad over your eye that you should wear for at least a day. The pad protects your eye from injury. Dr. Bergman may also recommend wearing a perforated shield over your eye for up to two weeks after the surgery. An eye shield mainly prevents you from rubbing or putting pressure on your eye post-surgery.

Ensure hygiene to prevent infection

Not only do you have to protect your eye following surgery, but you also have to keep it clean. You can bathe and shower, so long as you don't bend forward or touch the eye that's just been operated on. You can wear your eye shield in the shower if you're worried about inadvertently touching it.

Ensure your hands are clean before you put eye drops in so you don't introduce germs that can cause an infection. If you have any questions or concerns regarding hygiene post-surgery, don't be afraid to address these with Dr. Bergman before the procedure.

Use eye drops for swelling and redness

Most people experience swelling and redness after surgery, which is why we prescribe anti-inflammatory eye drops like dexamethasone. You may have to apply eye drops for two to three months. 

Dr. Bergman can give you specific instructions following the surgery. Most people take them every one to two hours for a few days. Eventually, you should only need to take four to six a day.

Want to know more about glaucoma surgery and post-surgery care? Call or schedule an appointment online with Cory Bergman, MD, in Rapid City, South Dakota, and Casper, Wyoming.