Hi guys . I am due to have all my stitches removed on the 7th of October . I has my graft done last June and thankfully have not had one minutes trouble . I just wonder what your experiences having been with having your own stitches out , pain ?, vision expectation? , time off work etc ?
cheers guys
Having stitches removed!!!!!!!!!!!
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- melissa
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Re: Having stitches removed!!!!!!!!!!!
hiya.
when i had my stitches out this was my experience:
i booked an hour session at my opthalm.
i took my mother with so that i had someone to drive me home.
my doctor put anesthetic drops in my eye, and then i sat in the normal examination chair and he held my eye open. all i had to do was keep my eye as still as possible by focusing on something, while he used a magnifying lens to focus on the stitches.
it wasn't actually painful at all- NOTHING like going to the dentist... no injections.
it is a bit awkward and frustrating, but i asked for a lot of breaks to get myself together and breathe.... if you are prone to anxiety perhaps a 'rescue tablet' or two will help calm the nerves.
afterwards it was a bit sore- still not as bad as the graft itself.... he loaded it with drops and bandaged it up (only for the first few hours)- and mostly because it was such a bright sunny day... i took the afternoon off work, but was back the next day. i don't recall taking anything strong for the pain.
my vision was the same afterwards... no dramatic change.
2 weeks later i was fitted for glasses and it has been fairly plain-sailing since.
Good luck
when i had my stitches out this was my experience:
i booked an hour session at my opthalm.
i took my mother with so that i had someone to drive me home.
my doctor put anesthetic drops in my eye, and then i sat in the normal examination chair and he held my eye open. all i had to do was keep my eye as still as possible by focusing on something, while he used a magnifying lens to focus on the stitches.
it wasn't actually painful at all- NOTHING like going to the dentist... no injections.
it is a bit awkward and frustrating, but i asked for a lot of breaks to get myself together and breathe.... if you are prone to anxiety perhaps a 'rescue tablet' or two will help calm the nerves.
afterwards it was a bit sore- still not as bad as the graft itself.... he loaded it with drops and bandaged it up (only for the first few hours)- and mostly because it was such a bright sunny day... i took the afternoon off work, but was back the next day. i don't recall taking anything strong for the pain.
my vision was the same afterwards... no dramatic change.
2 weeks later i was fitted for glasses and it has been fairly plain-sailing since.
Good luck
- Anne Klepacz
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Re: Having stitches removed!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Optom,
Surgeons vary on how they like to do this. In my case, I was lying on the operating table each time. Didn't feel a thing during the procedure itself under local anaesthetic (just heard the occasional ping as a stitch came out). It was quite painful afterwards for a few hours, and I did need painkillers. But I was back at work next day each time. The vision takes a week or two to settle down. And then you'll know whether you'll need additional correction with contact lens or glasses. Good luck!
Anne
Surgeons vary on how they like to do this. In my case, I was lying on the operating table each time. Didn't feel a thing during the procedure itself under local anaesthetic (just heard the occasional ping as a stitch came out). It was quite painful afterwards for a few hours, and I did need painkillers. But I was back at work next day each time. The vision takes a week or two to settle down. And then you'll know whether you'll need additional correction with contact lens or glasses. Good luck!
Anne
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Re: Having stitches removed!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi
I had mine out in 2 stages. when the first lot were done, i was in theatre, it was uncomfortable but not painful as i had anaesthetic drops put in, i had a clamp put in to hold my eye open, and a shield (cloth with sticky back plastic) stuck to my eyelids with a slit cut in it, an injection of some kind of steroid in the eyeball at the end which did sting a bit.
I was in theatre just in case something happened during removal and he needed to put stitches back in. The whole ordeal had me very tired and disorientated for a couple of hours and i had my girlfriend to take me home afterwards. It wasn't a particularly pleasant experience.
The final stitches came out 8 months later sat behind a slit lamp. quite painless, but i still needed my girlfriend to take me home.
In both cases i had 2-3 weeks off work, not because of any pain, but because i needed 2 weeks for my eye to settle down and stabilise before i could be re-prescribed with glasses.
My vision changed immediately as the stitches were out and fluctuated for a while. (I have very little vision in my other eye)
All the best getting yours out.
I had mine out in 2 stages. when the first lot were done, i was in theatre, it was uncomfortable but not painful as i had anaesthetic drops put in, i had a clamp put in to hold my eye open, and a shield (cloth with sticky back plastic) stuck to my eyelids with a slit cut in it, an injection of some kind of steroid in the eyeball at the end which did sting a bit.
I was in theatre just in case something happened during removal and he needed to put stitches back in. The whole ordeal had me very tired and disorientated for a couple of hours and i had my girlfriend to take me home afterwards. It wasn't a particularly pleasant experience.
The final stitches came out 8 months later sat behind a slit lamp. quite painless, but i still needed my girlfriend to take me home.
In both cases i had 2-3 weeks off work, not because of any pain, but because i needed 2 weeks for my eye to settle down and stabilise before i could be re-prescribed with glasses.
My vision changed immediately as the stitches were out and fluctuated for a while. (I have very little vision in my other eye)
All the best getting yours out.
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Re: Having stitches removed!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks very much guys, sounds like plan sailing. Actually trying to stop myself getting excited because I will actually be heart broken if it dont go well sight wise. I am obviously not expecting miracles but good i would love to be able to wear a pair of glasses, some relief from contact lenses.
- xloz69x
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Re: Having stitches removed!!!!!!!!!!!
Hope all goes well for you
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Re: Having stitches removed!!!!!!!!!!!
Hiya
When I got my stitches out, the thought of it was worse than the procedure.
Its not painful just a bit "strange". I must admit I broke out into a cold sweat, but after some more drops & a few minutes yoga style deep breathing to compose myself I was fine.
Honestly, its really not that bad
Good luck & all the best
Claire
When I got my stitches out, the thought of it was worse than the procedure.
Its not painful just a bit "strange". I must admit I broke out into a cold sweat, but after some more drops & a few minutes yoga style deep breathing to compose myself I was fine.
Honestly, its really not that bad
Good luck & all the best
Claire
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Re: Having stitches removed!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for all the encouragement guys . Fingers crossed for top vision.
- Andrew MacLean
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Re: Having stitches removed!!!!!!!!!!!
Just don't be too disappointed if you don't immediately have 6/6
Every good wish
Andrew
Every good wish
Andrew
Andrew MacLean
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