Detached Retina Diary

Surgery for my detached retina: What was the worst part? (2)

Except for before the first surgery, I wasn’t allowed to wash my face, in order to avoid contamination from various kinds of germs.
Although the exact amount of time depends on your condition, you also can’t wash your hair for three to seven days after surgery. It’s also very painful and really itchy! Even if you get permission to wash your hair, you can’t wash it by yourself: to prevent excess vibrations, a nurse washes your hair for you (about twice a week).

The gas they injected into my right eye slowly dissipated, little by little, over about two weeks. To tell the truth I wanted it gone as quickly as possible, but I heard it was better if it took longer. If it disappeared too quickly, they would have to add more. My doctor said I had to face down even more seriously when the gas was about half gone. When the gas got visibly smaller, it separated into a number of round transparent grey bubbles, which were kind of cute looking, like nameless creatures.

When I looked out through the grey gas in my right eye, even though they had removed the lens, I felt I could see better through that eye than through my nearsighted left eye. It was a strange feeling.

Yaemi Shigyo, Sunday October 12th, 2008