What to Expect
On the day of your surgery, a driver (family, friend, or taxi) will bring you to the surgery center and you will be checked in at the front desk. The nurses will ask you to sign a few forms, obtain several sets of vital signs, and administer eyedrops to dilate the pupil in the surgical eye.
You will be brought to the preoperative area, where an intravenous catheter (“IV”) will be placed and you will speak to your surgeon and anesthetist about the upcoming procedure and ask whatever questions you may have.
You will be brought into the operating room and reclined flat on your back. The anesthetist will administer intravenous medicines to relax you to sleep for a few minutes while the surgeon anesthetizes the eye and begins the surgery. The surgery normally takes place over approximately 10-15 minutes. A clear, plastic shield will be placed over the eye to protect it for the first few hours after surgery, and at bedtime for one week.
After the procedure, you will be escorted to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and given some additional medicines and instructions prior to being discharged home with your driver.
For more information about the day of surgery, click here.