ALBANY -- Gov. David Paterson is recovering and resting comfortably a day after emergency eye surgery.

Spokesmen say the governor is expected to return to state business after Memorial Day. The Democrat went to a Manhattan hospital Tuesday after suffering what physicians say was excruciating pain from acute glaucoma.

Paterson, who is legally blind, was diagnosed with acute glaucoma in his left eye and underwent an iridotomy. That's a routine outpatient laser procedure done to relieve pressure on that eye. He will have another procedure in a few days to prevent glaucoma in his right eye.

The procedure isn't expected to have any long-term effect on the 54-year-old governor's health.