Stitches to be left in permanently?

[craigthornton]

Went for my pre-op assessment today and joked that, if anything, I was more worried about having my stitches taken out next year.

The consultant said that they are left in and only ever taken out if there is a problem. She said they are minute and not easily visible to anyone else, and on a layer of my eye (I forget which layer she said). I double-checked that they are not taken out and she said no.

Has anyone else heard of this, as all the info I have looked at - and images - show otherwise.

[jayuk]

Craig

Not all do take them out....but many of the consultants now use the sutures to manipulate the cornea and try and improve vision as healing progresses....

Also, another thing that determines whether there kept in, is the type and material of the sutures...

HTH

J

[GarethB]

20 years on and I still have a couple left because my cornea healed completly over them when they decided it was Ok to take them all out.

Can not feel them and they are only visible under a slit lamp so nothing to worry about.

[Andrew MacLean]

Also some surgeons favour sutures that are simply absorbed into the body. The only circimstances in which these are removed is where they do not disolve.

Looks like your surgeon has an "eye" (terrible pun) to his patient's greatest fear!

Andrew

[Alison Fisher]

I've still got six or seven (if I remember rightly) stitches in my youngest graft. They're no problem (hope I haven't jinxed myself there) and from the way they talk down at the hospital I'm not expecting them to ever take them out.

[denner]

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have really been looking forward to having mine out!! Does leaving them in affect wearing a len on the eye? If not at what stage post graft are lens tried?

[Andrew MacLean]

Denner

Sometimes never. I am now almost esactly 3 years post graft in my right eye and the ophthalmologist is still of the view that a lens is not appropriate.

Mind you, I get good correction from specs.

Andrew

[denner]

Hi Andy,And Merry Christmas.
I have had one eye done the other is not correctable by specs and my lens wear time is limited to an hour or so.Im hoping to back to work in the new year which will b about 6 months post graft, Is this to early? for corrective specs or lens????

[Andrew MacLean]

denner

I am afraid you come up against the usual problem: only your ophthalmologist / optometrist can say! They are the ones who look at your eye through the slit lamp and who can see just exactly what is going on.

When do you next see your specialist? If it is soon, ask him (or her) directly when you will be able to wear a lens. Don't ask "whether", that lets the ophthamologist off the hook, Just say "How love before I can get a decent amount of lens time in this eye."

All the best and a very good Christmas to you, too, when it comes.

Andrew

[denner]

Thanks Andy,
My next appointments are on 2nd Jan so I will ask him then.