Dealing with post-C3R pain

[Duklai]

Hello, first post here (if posting in the wrong place, wrong topic etc, very sorry). I had crosslinking treatment yesterday on my right eye, as promised the procedure was painless, but 24 hours on and the pain is almost unbearable, and hasn't improved since soon after the treatment. I have been given a strong analgesic (Metamizole) and take paracetamol on top of that, but the stinging, scratching, burning pain is almost completely incapacitating. Writing this message is difficult, and a last ditch effort. I wasn't given a 'bandage lens' which I think is the practice in some clinics, perhaps that would have helped.

Has anyone had a similar level of experience of this level of pain post-op - I understand people have different responses to the treatment. If so, did you have any additional ways of dealing with it - was there *anything* that reduced the pain or distracted from it? I am generally good at putting up with physical pain, but this is like nothing else I've felt before.

Many thanks for any suggestions,

iain

[GrandPaClanger]

Hi Iain and welcome

I have not had CXL but I have peeled off 2/3 rds of my epithelium whilst removing a soft contact lens when I tried piggybacking. If you had the epithelium removed during the cross linking then I am with you bro on the level of pain unbelievable. I took Cuprofen for the pain and then paracetamol a couple of hours later for the swelling. Other than that i tucked myself up in bed for the whole of the following day. If it’s any consolation the epithelium does heal quickly so the pain reduced quickly over a couple of days but my eye was sore for a week.

All the best
Ian

[NickDash]

Pain management following Cross Linking is achieved principally by the use of a bandage contact lens and the correct eye drops. The use of a pre-soaked bandage contact lens can help post-operative pain management.
The mechanism of epithelial removal will determine the level of pain, mechanical or laser.
Discuss this with the clinic.
Epithelial recovery is multifactorial and vary from individual.
Many patients with the customised bandage contact lenses (CBCL) used after surgery will have irritation not pain. Grading pain out of 10 they will experience 3/10 with the CBCL compared to 6/10 with no lens.
This is my experience having worked in clinics debriding the corneal epithelium for a number of conditions over the last decade.
As always ask the clinic how they manage the post operative pain and visual recovery.
Nick

[liam82]

I had cxl 2 weeks back, and it only hurt for a few hours after. When I woke up in the morning, the pain was completely gone.

Think the various drops helped