Post Graft exercise

[Eisa]

I'm now 4 months on from my (first) full thickness graft. All healthy so far and apart from some discomfort and the odd day when I need to pop a paracetamol, all going ok. Vision is still relatively poor but I'm told you've just got to be a patient patient. I've been doing exactly what I've been told with drops and avoiding any lifting etc. But 4 months of sitting around the house (I can't tolerate the cold wind outside - it quickly sets off pain) is driving me mad. I asked at my last check up about indoor rowing / indoor cycling etc but was told to be careful as it could cause clouding on the graft. Advice sought please from anyone who's been through this - is it "safe" to do some light exercise and how much is too much?

Bob

[Anne Klepacz]

Hi Bob,
I'd been wondering how things were going for you since your graft so it's good to hear from you.
The lack of any specific advice on post graft exercise is really annoying! I've just been doing some googling, and while all the guidance I can find is clear about no heavy lifting for at least 6 weeks and about avoiding contact sports altogether, there is silence about anything in between. On the other hand, all the medical guidance says it's OK to return to a manual job after a couple of months so that suggests to me that should be safe to do light exercise.
And that's confirmed by the instructions I was given after my regraft a few months ago and which I've just found.
"You must avoid a direct blow to the eye at any time in the future; the eye is always weaker after graft surgery. Use glasses for protection against a blow when outside or when gardening. You can bend over. You can undertake all normal sporting activities except contact sports after 4 weeks. You must use specialised eye protection for ball games for the rest of your life. Avoid heavy lifting for 3 months (sacks of cement, manure or weights in the gym"
So it sounds as though your hospital is being very cautious. Sitting around doing nothing is likely to affect mental well-being, which in my books is as important as physical well-being!
I've never been one for going to the gym, but I belong to a couple of walking groups so do quite a bit of walking. For which I always wear wrap around sunglasses (however cloudy it is!) both to protect against that cold wind and against those overhanging twigs and brambles that would otherwise get me.
I can't answer the 'how much is too much' question, I'm afraid. Maybe someone else will chip in with their experience.
All the best
Anne

[Andrew MacLean]

Hello; I am afraid that I, like Anne, can't answer the question "how much is too much?". I think that you re best to be guided by your ophthalmologist. Every good wish.

[Lisa Nixon]

I was back on my quieter horse 4 weeks post graft with my left eye (2002) and resumed walk/run marathon training 4 weeks post graft with my right eye (2005). I'm careful around my horses even now, the Shetlands are far worse than the bigger ones as they rear! This brings their heads to shoulder height so both eyes fairly safe unless I'm bending towards them. My son plays football post graft, he wore goggles initially but doesn't now.

[Eisa]

Well I might be able to answer my own question here now! Just back from the eye casualty unit where they diagnosed a "subconjunctival hemorrhage" in my grafted eye. If you Google that you'll see what it looks like. All was fine yesterday but then suddenly a big bright red spot on my sclera. Almost certainly caused by me lifting a heavy door as I fitted a replacement back door on my house last weekend. I'm now 4 months post graft. The good news is it's not apparently going to damage the graft at all and it should just fade away over a couple of weeks. The advice from the doctor I saw today was not to do anything that involves "resistance" such as lifting anything heavy or say rowing or any other "instant" / power sort of thing that increases your blood pressure rapidly. He said even straining on the loo can cause it!
He said that "gentle" cycling especially on an indoor cycling machine is good but to get your heart rate up gradually and don't overdo it.


Bob

[CrippsCorner]

Wow sorry to hear that, doesn't look pleasant that! Glad it won't cause any long term issues... is a shame you need to be so cautious with things though