It’s common for patients to have a headache for one to two days after enucleation. Some patients can also be nauseous for the same period of time. Immediately after surgery, we will apply a pressure patch. In most cases, we’ll want this to stay on for a few days. The eye is surrounded by bone, so the pain of this removal isn’t as strong as most patients anticipate. Patients are given oral antibiotics and steroids to take until their follow-up appointment 4-6 days after surgery. At that point, we’ll remove your pressure patch, examine the surgical wound, and give you topical antibiotic drops or ointment to apply to the area several times a day for a couple of weeks. We usually place a temporary prosthesis at this time.
Approximately 3-6 weeks after your enucleation surgery, when Dr. Keverline feels you’re ready, you will be referred to an ocularist. An ocularist is a professional who specializes in the custom crafting of artificial eyes.