Is it alright to drink alcohol while I am recovering from retinal reattachment?
FEB 13, 2013
Question:
I had a retinal reattachment operation three weeks ago. They used an oil bubble which is still in. I’m still in a bit of pain and have a follow-up appointment next week. I'm going to a party next week and I wondered—is it OK to drink alcohol before my appointment?
Answer:
The bubble is used to provide pressure to keep the retina in its post-surgical position so that it will stay in place and hopefully regain as much function as possible.
There is no harm in social engagements including the drinking of alcohol—although you certainly should not drink to the degree that you might lose control and endanger the good work on your eye. Alcohol is not a substitute for pain medication and in fact can interact in unpredictable ways with pain medication—so if you are still in pain and treating that with medication, alcohol might be forbidden under those circumstances.