eye swelling?

[nessa1982]

Has anyone ever seen the sclera (the white of the eye) have swelling post op after a phacoemulsicification cataract removal..all the other nurses told me this was fine..normal ect and pt was sent home..but now I am at home..again worried. I wanted to call the MD but was told that this was normal. Why would this occur and is it really normal..I wish I could just go home one day without worrying!!

[Jyell223]

hi there yup have seen it before usually would swell due to several factors like trauma from the force of power from phaco, water, irritation from the eye gel being used, antiseptics used for eye prep...etc. just as long as the pt.is compliant with the meds after phaco (corticosteriods,antibiotics,pain relievers...) it would be ok,

[cokeforbreakfast]

Yes, it happens once in a while. The OD cuts through several layers with the blade, making a teensy incision to put the phaco tip into. If the layers flip and flop just right, sometimes the water shooting out the phaco or I/A tip can hit the space between the layers just right, creating a water pocket on top of the sclera and under the conj, making a bubble.

Sometimes I wonder how they can close the eye! And it does look wierd!

But they do get it shut, and the body just absorbs all the water or squishes it out. Not a big deal.

(IMHO...I'm not an expert!)

Cokeforbreakfast