It’s now been 8 days since the surgery.

I worked half a day and went, with Heather, to Edgewood to see Dr. Holland for my “1 week” follow up appointment.  The Cincinnati Eye Institute office was very busy.  We waited 2 hours to see the doctor – so I will never go there in the afternoon again and never on a Friday!  Lesson learned.  The rest of my appointments will be early morning and early in the week.

After we finally got in, the technician checked my vision (strangely, the test was conducted with the band-aid contact lens inserted and affecting my vision.)  I did not get the exact measurements, but I had improved three steps beyond last time on the pinhole.

After Dr. Holland came in, he checked the epithelium (see illustration, top section) to see that it had healed over properly so he removed the bandaid contact lens after numbing my eye.  He used tweezers to remove it, and it did not hurt at all.  As soon as it was out, however, I could feel the dryness start.   Unexpected.

Transitions are always tough.  It was not really pain I felt, but a tickle-itch sort of feeling with a mild burn.   Dr. Holland said that the bandaid lens was holding moisture in before, and I would need to supplement that from here on – these lenses have pros and cons.  But cell growth was great.

Dr. Holland looked me over well with slit lamps with and without florescent die, checked eye pressure and gave me a clean bill of health.   The cornea is clearing, the sutures looked fine, and I was good to go.  I am now to stop using the antibiotic but continue with the steroid and Restasis (tear medicine.)   Now, he said I should expect fluctuations in vision – and that we’re in the long slog of a slowly-healing cornea.

I will be going back in a month, and he may do a topography for the first suture removal, but the decision to remove them will be made on the fly based on the topographies.  I knew this.   He also said that Heather did not need to come with me for those appointments.  I’m glad because it’s a lot of trouble for her to come and wait for me.

I’m to continue wearing my shield at night, and he said sunglasses during the day.   This “wound” is still fragile and I need to take care of it.

We had Buffalo Wild Wings and headed home.  I got very dry on the ride and wished I had brought lubricant.  Once home, I added Systane and it helped a lot.   As I write this, the irritation seems to be fading after a Tylenol

The journey continues…

Postscript: 3/19/11.    Eye really feels raw today.  Hoping this is temporary.   Last night I used a gel-type lubricant before bed and that worked really well.   Steroid drops definitely have a burn now when they go in.   These are some things to expect I guess.