Gardening after injection? : Hi guys, hope... - Macular Society

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Gardening after injection?

Sianana profile image
27 Replies

Hi guys, hope you are all OK. I was told ages ago to avoid gardening for few days after my Lucentis shot - but have never seen that in any official patient literature. Has anyone else had this instruction passed on?

Keen to get those crocus bulbs in...had my most recent injection four days ago on Thursday.

thanks in advance for any replies,

Sian

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Sianana profile image
Sianana
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27 Replies
Edman777 profile image
Edman777

Hi Sian;

It's not worth the risk of a an infection which could have devastating consequences for the eye involved. I was told to avoid dirty, dusty environments for two days.

link.springer.com/article/1...

What Should Be Avoided After the Injection?

There is no clinical evidence on what to avoid; however, from a theoretical point of view, attempts should be made to avoid a high load of microorganisms at the area of injection immediately after the intravitreal injection(IVI). Because of this, we recommend avoiding the following activities for 24 h after the IVI: rubbing eyes, swimming, gardening, wearing eye makeup, or performing dusty work. Ongoing treatment with eye drops can continue, but a new bottle should be opened after the IVI.

Sianana profile image
Sianana in reply toEdman777

This is a really helpful reply. It has clarified my thinking and helped me to sharpen my awareness of risk. Thank you so much!

Sianana profile image
Sianana in reply toEdman777

By the way, thanks for the link - that's an excellent article.

Moptart profile image
Moptart

I have not seen this written either.

The Ophthalmologist told me to avoid gardening for one week because of the potential for mold spores to infect the eye, and those infections are particularly difficult to treat.

Sianana profile image
Sianana in reply toMoptart

That's really helpful, thank you!

Retired130 profile image
Retired130

I take Eylea & my Retina Specialist has told me to stay confined to the inside of the home for 3 full days (72 hours) after the shot & also to not do anything inside that might cause dust fly into the air such as dusting or vacuuming. After 3 days I can go outside, but should remain away from dirty situations for another 3 days.

Sianana profile image
Sianana in reply toRetired130

That sounds like a really sensible set of precautions. Thank you very much!

tallyho profile image
tallyho in reply toRetired130

Wow that is extreme !!! Good thing your not working then! I have had 78 Eylea now and never been told that and my consultant Who is a professor and a world renowned optom.

Gardening I would def leave for a few days.

Sianana profile image
Sianana in reply totallyho

Yes, interesting on soil bacteria and mould spores!

Hrosie profile image
Hrosie

I was told not to garden or do any dirty jobs that risked getting anything in my eye - think that's the purpose of this advice.

Sianana profile image
Sianana in reply toHrosie

Thanks Hroise!

Bluegreensea profile image
Bluegreensea

Hi Sianana

I've never been given this advice either (other than to be careful if going outside if a particularly windy weather in the hours following injection). I'm grateful for this information. I never want to wear eye make up for a few days after anyway. Swimming is a no-brainer. However, refraining from dusting, etc., has never crossed my mind. Thanks for your post - the subsequent replies have raised my awareness.

I would have thought sitting in your garden and admiring your hard work, hot beverage in hand, would be a good compromise!

Take care

BGS

Sianana profile image
Sianana in reply toBluegreensea

What a great idea, as soon as the wind drops, I think I'll put that into action!

Glad it was useful thread for you. Re. eye make up - I stopped wearing it after the WMD struck, not that that's necessary of course - just that my researches into the contents of much of it, especially bacterially once in use, and those pesky mites in mascara, put me off. Also, I have dry eye, bleph and get chalazions, and I think for me it exacerbated my experience those conditions.

Bluegreensea profile image
Bluegreensea in reply toSianana

I have dry eyes. My 'good' eye that doesn't get injected, particularly so.

My daughter works in make-up so I get offered plenty of mascara. I didn't know about the mites - yikes, time to give it up!

maryparry profile image
maryparry

I was told...no cookig, showering, gardening or flying...def no husework.:) works for me!

Sianana profile image
Sianana in reply tomaryparry

You're singing my song there Mary!

Bluegreensea profile image
Bluegreensea in reply tomaryparry

Almost sounds like permission to have a holiday!

Bluegreensea profile image
Bluegreensea in reply toBluegreensea

And why not!

Catseyes235 profile image
Catseyes235

The bulbs will wait! The injection site takes around 5 days to be sure it’s healed so I actually take 6 days off dealing with gardening ...DIY and dust. In fact if it’s really windy I try to avoid going out. I go mad gardening in all weathers before an injection - it’s like a deadline! Happy gardening!

Sianana profile image
Sianana in reply toCatseyes235

Great advice, which I will follow. Many thanks!

Catseyes235 profile image
Catseyes235

Which reminds me I have bags of bulbs too, several plants from a plant sale and injections on Tuesday! (.. never mind a pond to dig, hedges to trim etc etc etc) Need floodlighting? Oh well another week!

Sianana profile image
Sianana in reply toCatseyes235

I really hope it went well. Hospitals are extra tense places at the minute. And I hope the discomfort eases swiftly. So you can get to that bag of bulbs - at a safe distance in time! I, too, am digging a pond, aka, that pile of rubble at the bottom of the garden about which I harbour delusions of grandeur :)

Catseyes235 profile image
Catseyes235 in reply toSianana

I’m in the south - Greater London - so I have until December to get bulbs in. Some I found lurking didn’t get in until February but most came up okay. Had both eyes done today and eight weeks to next appointment. Trouble was it was the dreaded Gigi - very slow and patient and again ended up with very red round injection site. She is just too slow giving the injection as never had this with anyone else. (Except when my fault and I blinked) So hard to complain! Haha your gardening sounds like mine ..always work in progress!

Sianana profile image
Sianana in reply toCatseyes235

Well done on getting through it! But sorry to hear the injection site looks unnecessarily large. Re complaining - I worked in the NHS as a clinician and then manager for years - I really wished people DID complain, because otherwise you miss things. Staff that could be getting extra training or supervision - by the sound of it like your injector.

Rest and heal!

Catseyes235 profile image
Catseyes235

Thanks for the encouragement. First a selfie - wish I’d taken one last time. Trouble is she thinks she’s being kind in taking her time when in fact the results say otherwise. There shouldn’t be time to say ‘and now just a scratch and that’s the injection going in’ !! It’s should be done and dusted in half the time! Going to definitely wait six days before gardening....

Sianana profile image
Sianana in reply toCatseyes235

Definitely. My experience is that pause when they say 'sharp scratch now' - then the injection lasting a few seconds, no longer.

Yes, you're off bulb and pond duty for a few days! xx

Catseyes235 profile image
Catseyes235

But you don’t actually feel a sharp scratch because your eye is anaesthetised...that’s what they say for normal injections! I reckon it should take no longer than a second ...and usually doesn’t.

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