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You will be informed about your pre-operative laboratory
examinations and cardiopulmonary clearance schedule. Please coordinate closely
with our staff if you wish to move the tests and CP clearance to an earlier or
later date.
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If you have your laboratory examinations performed within
the building, the results will be forwarded to our clinic, unless otherwise
specified. If you wish to have the examination performed elsewhere, kindly
bring all the results with you on the day of your cardiopulmonary clearance
with the internist.
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Do not use aspirin products or Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
for 10 days prior to surgery unless approved by your physician. If you wish ,
you may use Tylenol or any non-aspirin type product.
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The night before surgery, have nothing to eat or drink
after midnight, unless otherwise specified. In the morning, if you have
medications to take, you may do so with a small sip of water. If you are a
diabetic, please discuss with the physician what medication you should take
before surgery. Please make arrangements for someone to be with you following
surgery. You may only be released to a responsible adult.
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Please do not schedule anything for the rest of the day.
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If you have any questions or are uncomfortable about your
surgery, please call prior to the surgery date.
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Soft contact lens (SCL) users are required
to discontinue the use of SCLs for at least 2 weeks prior to the refractive
screening. Hard contact lens and Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) users are required
to discontinue the use of RGPs for at least 4 weeks prior to the refractive
screening. Please coordinate closely with our staff if you wish to move the
tests to an earlier or later date.
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Kindly apply over-the-counter lubricating
drops hourly to both eyes during waking hours for at least 1 week prior to the
surgery. This will make you feel comfortable with instilling topical
medication to your eyes after surgery.
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We require no diet restriction prior to the
surgery. We suggest that you sleep early the night before surgery. Please make
arrangements for someone to be with you following surgery. You may only be
released to a responsible adult.
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Please do not schedule anything for the rest
of the day.
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If you have any questions or are
uncomfortable about your surgery, please call prior to the surgery date.
The entire surgical experience with our eye surgeons has been
designed to help patients and their families be as comfortable and relaxed as
possible. This "patient first, family friendly" approach is at the heart of the
surgery experience. An important part of Ophthalmic Consultants Philippines Co.'s
low stress approach to cataract surgery is the maintenance of familiar routines.
In most cases, people do not have to miss meals or medications prior to surgery.
Once they arrive at the surgery centre, helpful and friendly staff greets them. Another reassuring aspect of the surgical experience is the
introduction of calming music during surgery. The patient has a choice of
classical, new age, nature, or instrumental jazz music.
Thanks to recent developments in anesthesia, eye surgery is a
painless experience. Our anesthesiologist will ensure your comfort during the
operation and will discuss this with you on the day of surgery. Three kinds of anesthesia are used by our eye surgeons --
topical anesthesia, regional anesthesia, and general anesthesia.
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Topical anesthesia is very popular with most people because
no needles are required. Instead, topical anesthesia simply uses drops which
numb the eye. No eye patches are needed, and people usually notice improved
vision immediately after surgery.
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Regional anesthesia involves gently injecting numbing
medications into the tissues around the eye. Regional anesthesia gradually
wears off after the surgery. The eye is patched overnight and people begin to
notice their improved vision by the next day.
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General anesthesia is reserved for children, the elderly,
the deaf, individuals with seizure and/or muscle contraction/relaxation
disorders, as well as, highly anxious and uncooperative individuals.
There are advantages to each kind of anesthesia, so the
specific needs of each surgery patient will be carefully considered by the
anesthesiologist and surgeon in selecting the most suitable method of
anesthesia.
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Postoperative schedules are usually set for DAY 1, 3, 7,
14, and 28.
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For 12 hours following surgery do not operate an automobile
or other machinery. You may wish to start eating lighter, with liquids and
progressing to your regular diet as tolerated by your stomach.
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Unless directed by your surgeon, do not remove your
polycarbonate goggles except when applying eyedrops as directed. In rare
instances, a surgical dressing may be placed. Do not remove your eye dressing
and do not begin your eyedrops until after your first post-operative
appointment.
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You may take Tylenol or any other non-aspirin containing
pain reliever as needed every 4 hours for pain. Continue your regular
medications as directed by your physician including any eyedrops prescribed
for the other eye.
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Your first post-operative appointment will be the day
following surgery. At this time your eye will be examined. Your post-operative
care schedule and medications will be reviewed.
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Postoperative schedules are usually set for
DAY 1, 7, 14, and 28, MONTH 2, 3, 6, 9 and 12.
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For 3 hours following surgery please take a
nap. This will ensure comfort and proper healing of your eyes.
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Unless directed by your surgeon, do not
remove your polycarbonate goggles except when applying eyedrops as directed.
In rare instances, a surgical dressing may be placed. Do not remove your eye
dressing and do not begin your eyedrops until after your first post-operative
appointment.
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You may take Tylenol or any other
non-aspirin containing pain reliever as needed every 4 hours for pain.
Continue your regular medications as directed by your physician including any
eyedrops prescribed for the other eye.
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Your first post-operative appointment will
be the day following surgery. At this time your eye will be examined. Your
post-operative care schedule and medications will be reviewed.
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You may bathe or shower; protect the eye from soapy water
by patching it securely. Always turn your back against the shower spray.
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Always wear your polycarbonate goggles while sleeping.
Avoid sleeping on the side of your operated eye.
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Do not bend at the waist to pick up objects on the floor.
If you must, squat or bend at the knees and use your hand to stabilize
yourself. Do not lift anything over 15 lbs.
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Avoid playing with babies or children.
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Do not submerge your eye under water.
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Cleansing of the eye
Wash your hands before caring for the eye. If the lids are sticky or itchy in
the morning, they may be gently cleaned with a cotton ball moistened with
sterile water. Wipe from your nose toward you ear, in one direction only. Be
careful not to rub or put pressure on the eye.
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Protection of the eye
The operated eye should be protected at all times by either glasses
(prescription or sunglasses) or the polycarbonate goggles. When the glasses
are removed for showering, gently tape the metal shield over the eye. A soft
eye patch may also be used under the shield/goggles if desired.
General Information
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Directions for use of your drops or ointment are on the
label of the bottle or tube. Record the name of your medication in case the
medicine is lost or spilled. Refrigerate drops only when the label has
instructions to do so.
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You must use your medications as often as the doctor has
instructed. Unless you have been told to awaken and use medication during the
night, medications are intended to be used during waking hours. Plan a
schedule and make every effort to use the medicine as close to the prescribed
time as possible.
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Carry your medicines with you when ever you are away from
home and continue to use them as usual. Be sure to bring them to your doctor
at each visit and ask for any change in instructions. Avoid exposing the
medications to sunlight.
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It is not unusual for eye medications to sting or burn
slightly for a few minutes when they are first used. Eye ointments may cause
vision to be temporarily blurred, and may cause prolonged burning.
Instructions for Eye drops
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Always wash your hands before putting drops in your eyes.
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Shake the eye medication well if labeled to do so.
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Carefully open the medication container. Be sure the tip of
the dropper does not touch anything!! Place the cap on its side on a flat
surface.
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Tilt your head back, or if needed, lie down comfortably on
your bed.
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Place the ridge of the eyedrop bottle on the bridge of your
nose with the dropper facing over the affected eye.
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Look up. (If your eye is swollen, pull your lid down
gently, forming a pocket between your eye and your lid.)
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Squeeze bottle
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Close your eye gently for 5 minutes.
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Replace cap.
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If you are using more than one medication, wait 5 minutes
between each drop.
Instructions for Ointment
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Always wash your hands.
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Remove the cap from the tube and place it on its side on a
flat surface. Be sure the applicator end of the tube does not touch anything.
To ensure that the ointment going into the eye is sterile, you may want to
squeeze a small amount of it onto a wet cotton ball. Discard the cotton ball.
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Hold the ointment in one hand and with the fingers of the
other hand, pull down the lower lid of the eye.
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Hold the applicator end of the tube close to the eye, but
not touching and squeeze the ointment in a ribbon about 1/2" along the inside
of the lower lid while you look up.
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Carefully replace the cap on the tube.
The following steps are recommended before using your eye
drops or ointments
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Always wash your hands.
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Wet a cotton ball with sterile water.
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Close the operated eye.
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Wipe the eye gently from the inner corner outward, being
careful not to apply pressure.
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