The Texas Republican said he was keeping up to date on legislation while resting after a successful surgery.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw said Friday that his emergency eye surgery "went very well," although he still had "a while to go" before he was fully recovered.
"I can lift my head up again and no longer have to position myself face-down, which is a relief," the Texas Republican said in a statement. "This is obviously good news, but it doesn’t mean we are out of the woods yet."
Crenshaw had retinal surgery at a VA clinic in Houston two weeks ago after experiencing "dark, blurry spots" that were affecting his vision. A trip to the ophthalmologist revealed that his retina was in the process of detaching. Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL, lost an eye in an IED blast in Afghanistan, which also damaged his other retina.
Crenshaw had previously said he would be "effectively blind" for about a month after the surgery, which involved injecting a "gas bubble" into his eye as a bandage to help prevent further detaching. He added that he would not be able to see until the bubble dissipated, nor would he be able to ride on an airplane for at least six weeks because pressure changes could cause the bubble to expand.
During a follow-up appointment last week with his surgeon, his retina was still in place, he added.
“I still cannot see much other than lights and shadows, basically, as I am still in the early stages of my recovery," he said. "I am not sure how my vision will be in a few weeks, but I am hopeful and confident that it will return to normal."
Crenshaw said that he was "staying up to date on legislation in the House" but would refrain from making social media posts or conducting interviews so he could focus on his recovery. His offices will still be working.
“Tara and I are doing well, thanks to the generous prayers and support for which we are so very grateful. We’ve been through harder times before and we are going to get through this," he said.
