Post op care nightime eye protection

[SmudgeBoo]

Hi, my son has had trabectulectomy and shunt surgery last Thursday and the eye protection we're using overnight isn't staying in place. We've got the plastic shield and are using 1.25cm surgical tape. I think we should try wider tape (believe there's 2.5cm) maybe? Struggling to find anything online, is there anything else that would work better? Are there elasticated protectors so he doesn't have to go through taping this on every night on top of coping with so many drops and discomfort. Thanks all

[muddledme]

Hello SmudgeBoo,

I was recommended to try sellotape instead of surgical tape to keep the eye shield in position.

As I had 1 inch wide micropore surgical tape available , that is what I used for a week or two. There are also many similar types in various chemists.

I found it always helped if I gently washed over the area to be covered and dried it thoroughly first.

Yes, elasticated mesh type bandages used to exist and can be very useful for head wounds etc. But if the bandage moved during the night then it may press on either eye. Personally I would not take that risk.

Maybe your son needs to experiment with different tapes to find one that suits.

All the drops and rules are a bit of a nuisance, but hopefully after a few days not so bad and WELL worth the effort. My "FRIO" wallet was very useful , as I could then go out and about with a supply of drops ,cool and in my handbag. These minature coolbags are available from Glaucoma UK and I believe Amazon. All I then needed was a good memory !

Best wishes.

[SmudgeBoo in reply to muddledme]

Thanks muddleme much appreciated we'll keep going with the plastic shield and try different tapes

[NewCardinal]

You can get 2.5mm tape in Sainsbury's and probably Boots as well. Stick plenty on in a cross-shape and up to the forehead, cheek, and across nose. The plastic shield is the best thing as it's hard and prevents inadvertent poking when asleep.

[SmudgeBoo in reply to NewCardinal]

Thanks will do

[Cornwalleyes]

I haven’t got any suggestions, but it does get easier in time to sleep with the shield on. I hated it to start with but you only need it on for two to three weeks.

[SmudgeBoo in reply to Cornwalleyes]

Thanks good to hear

[Hidden]

I used micropore, several strips going in different directions across the shield and across my face. Looked bizarre but worked.

[SmudgeBoo in reply to Hidden]

Thanks we've got the same now and the bigger tape so hopefully better results

[frankthebank]

Hello SmudgeBoo.Me and your son are on exactly the same time frame, I too had a trabectulectomy last Thursday, I'm older than your son at 43 but I have to say, the recovery is far worse than I expected, for the first couple of days in particular the drops were so sore, when they went in, the discomfort in the eye and feeling so weak all the time, I was struggling to stay awake alot. Now my eye is still red and very sore but drops not as sore, still sore and seem far away from a full recovery however, so I can relate to your son's struggles, also must be so difficult mentally going through this at such a young age. As for the shield, are you sure you are putting it on in exactly the right position? Because I found a short YouTube clip how to angle it on right, I put two long strips right across either side ( more tape than the video) it stays on all night and when I pull it off the next day, it's so tight I really have to ripp the tape off. Oh Best wishes to you both Oh and forgot to say have you got him any green lense glasses ( like sunglasses but with green lenses ) can get them online from RNIB ( green Saturn eyeshields) wearing these indoors helps so much with the discomfort and recovering vision ) also if you fall asleep with them on the sofa without having to put the shield on.

[SmudgeBoo in reply to frankthebank]

Thank you frankthebank really appreciate your feedback very helpful thanks we're so concerned all the time and such a difficult condition to deal with whatever your age and best wishes from us