PostOp Eyes

Corneal Transplant Week 1: What to Expect

General information about typical recovery, not medical advice. Every eye and every surgery is different, and your surgeon's instructions override anything on this page. Read our full disclaimer.

The first week is mostly about protecting the eye and staying on the drop schedule. Soreness and watering usually settle down over these days. Vision is still cloudy for most people.

If you had DMEK or DSAEK, the bubble shrinks over the first days and the strict face up positioning generally eases off during this week, on the schedule your surgeon sets. Some DMEK patients notice vision clearing quickly once the bubble is gone. The Cornea Research Foundation of America notes that in some cases DMEK patients see as well as 20/20 with glasses just a few days after surgery, but that is a best case, not the norm.

If you had a full thickness (PK) graft, do not expect much visual improvement this week. The stitches are doing their job and vision follows much later.

Usually normal at this stage

  • cloudy or hazy vision
  • feeling like something is in the eye, especially with stitches
  • light sensitivity
  • redness that is slowly fading
  • watering
  • vision that changes from hour to hour

Still off-limits

  • keep the eye shield for sleeping if instructed
  • no rubbing or pressing on the eye
  • no strenuous activity, straining, or heavy lifting
  • no swimming, hot tubs, or getting water in the eye
  • keep taking drops even if the eye feels fine
  • ask before driving again

More on corneal transplant recovery

Sources