Follow-up information
Pterygium surgery (PECA)
I do offer to see all my patients at postop day 1 or one week after surgery, dependent on clinic schedule, availability and surgical complexity.
All other follow-up appointments are organized with the referring doctor. Please remove nylon sutures (black) one week after surgery. Vicryl sutures (blue) will dissolve by themselves, but can cause inflammation or granuloma and can be removed after one week as well (if still there).
Antibiotics can be stopped after one week. Steroids should be continued for 1-2 months before tapering dependent on the inflammation. If redness will come back, the steroids must be increased. If the conjunctival tissue is very aggressive, replacing the Dexafree by Pred forte is recommended. Smalls gaps nasally to the flap will disappear within 1-2 weeks and rarely cause problems.
Medication | Dose | Remarks |
---|---|---|
Floxal drops | 4x/d | Starting from postop day 1 for 1 week. With larger erosions or pain, switch to Floxal ointment is recommended. |
Dexafree drops | 4x/d | Starting form postop day 1 for 4 weeks |
3x/d | For 4 weeks | |
2x/d | For 4 weeks | |
1x/d | For 4 weeks | |
Lacrycon drops | if needed |
Additionally Co-Becetamol, Mephenacid and Tramal are prescribed if needed.
Salzmann nodule excision / EDTA-Abrasion
Follow-up appointments are organized with the referring doctor. The bandage contact lens should be applied until the epithelium is closed (around one week)
Medication | Dose | Remark |
---|---|---|
Floxal drops | 4x/d | Starting postop day 1 until the epithelium is closed and contact lens is removed |
Dexafree drops | 4x/d | Starting after the epithelium is closed and the contact lens is removed |
Protagent drops | if needed |
Additionally, Co-Becetamol and Mephenacid are prescribed if needed.
Crosslinking / TG-PRK + Crosslinking
The follow-up appointments at day 1 and 5-7 days after surgery are organized with the referring doctor. After the epithelium has healed, the contact lens can be removed. We plan follow-up appointments in our clinic at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months to evaluate results by Pentacam and control endothelial cell density. We kindly ask to contact us if slow epithelial healing is observed.
Medication | Dose | Remark |
---|---|---|
Floxal drops | 3x/d | Starting at postop day 1 until the epithelium has healed and the contact lens is removed. |
Dexafree drops | 3x/d | Starting after the epithelium has healed and the contact lens is removed. |
Protagent drops | if needed |
Additionally, Co-Becetamol, Mephenacid und Tramal are prescribed if needed
PTK (phototherapeutic Keratectomy)
All follow-up appointments will be organised with the referring doctor. The bandage contact lens can be removed after 1 one in corneal scars, but should be left in place for 3 weeks for all other indications (rec. erosions and irregular astigmatism). If the epithelium is still loose after 3 weeks, bandage contact lens can be replaced for another 3 weeks for a total of 6 weeks. Use of steroid drops after removal of contact lens is only recommended in PTK for scars (Dexafree 3x/d for 3 weeks), but should not be used in PTK for rec. erosions or irregular astigmatism.
Medication | Dose | Remark |
---|---|---|
Floxal drops | 3x/d | Starting at postop day 1 until the epithelium has healed and the contact lens is removed. |
Protagent drops | if needed |
Additionally, Co-Becetamol, Mephenacid and Tramal are prescribed if needed.
DMEK / DSAEK
The initial follow-up appointments are planned in our clinic as corneal OCT and estimation of attachment is required. As soon as attachment and clearance is seen, follow-up appointments are booked with the referring doctor. Patients will always have a follow-up appointment at our clinic for quality control (6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months). Patients with DMEK will have inferior iridotomy that is done before surgery in order to prevent pupillary block and do not need to be dilated. Patients with DSAEK will use dilating drops for 2-3 days, depending on the amount of air/gas in the anterior chamber. If the transplant is attached but the cornea still very edematous, Dexafree should be switched to Pred forte.
Medication | Dose | Remark |
---|---|---|
Floxal drops | 4x/d | Starting at postop day one for one week |
Dexafree drops | 4x/d | starting at postop day 1 for 4 weeks |
3x/d | For 4 weeks | |
2x/d | For 4 weeks | |
1x/d | continued, if no steroid response is seen | |
Lacrycon | if needed |
Patients will sometimes (if large amount of air/gas is still in place at end to inpatient stay) receive an emergency set (including Diamox, Cyglogyl and Phenylephrin) and will always get an emergency contact number of the surgeon.
PKP / DALK
The first few visits are planned at our clinic as sometimes corneal OCT is needed. After this, follow-up appointments are planned with the referring doctor. There will be regular follow-up visits planned at our clinic (after 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months). If the corneas is very edematous or there is a specific risk (e.g. previous rejection episodes), Dexafree can be switched to Pred forte. The sutures are removed topography guided starting 6 months after surgery. If there is a large erosion or delayed healing, topical Steroids should be stopped for a while.
Medication | Dose | Remarks |
---|---|---|
Floxal ointment | 4x/d | Starting at postop day 1 until epithelium has healed. |
Dexafree drops | 4x/d | Starting at postop day 1 for 4 weeks |
3x/d | For 4 weeks | |
2x/d | For 4 weeks | |
1x/d | continued, unless steroid response is seen | |
Lacrycon | if needed |
Cataract
All follow-up appointments can be organized with the referring doctor.
Medication | Dose | Remarks |
---|---|---|
Tobradex drops | 4x/d | Starting at postop day 1 until bottle is empty (about 3-4 weeks) |
Nevanac drops | 3x/d | Starting at postop day 1 until bottle is empty (about 3-4 weeks) |
Viscotears | if needed |
Femtolasik / PRK / LASEK
The follow-up visits are all included and therefore booked at the laser clinic. Patients will receive all medication from the clinic (included). In Femtolasik, patients will get Floxal drops for 2-3 days and Dexafree for 2 weeks, in LASEK/PRK Floxal drops until epithelium has healed and contact lens is removed and Dexafree for 3 weeks thereafter.