WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: What do I need to know about strabismus repair? Strabismus repair is surgery to loosen, tighten, or move your eye muscles to help your eyes work together. How do I prepare for strabismus repair? Your healthcare provider will talk to you about how to prepare for surgery. He may tell you not to eat or drink anything after midnight on the day of your surgery. He will tell you what medicines to take or not take on the day of your surgery. You may need to stop taking blood thinners such as aspirin, and ibuprofen. You will need someone to drive you home after surgery. What will happen during strabismus repair? You may be given general anesthesia to keep you asleep and free from pain during surgery. You may instead be given local anesthesia to numb the surgery area. With local anesthesia, you may still feel pressure or pushing during surgery, but you should not feel any pain. Your healthcare provider will make a small incision in the tissue that covers your eye. He will detach the eye muscle and loosen, tighten, or move it. He will reattach your eye muscle with absorbable stitches. Surgery may also need to be done on your other eye. What will happen after strabismus repair? Your eyes may be sore for a few days after surgery. You may have double vision for up to 1 week after surgery. Your eyes may be red for up to 2 weeks after surgery. You may need to wear eyeglasses after the surgery. What are the risks of strabismus repair? You may get an infection or bleed more than expected. Parts of your eye may be injured during surgery. You may have decreased vision after your surgery. Your retina may separate from the back of your eye. You may need more than one surgery to align your eyes. |