Patient Instructions for Cataract Surgery
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Before Your Surgery
Medical History and Physical Forms
- Please make an appointment to see your family doctor at least 3 weeks before your surgery and have your form filled out. It must be received at the surgical centre by email/fax/drop off 2 weeks prior to your surgery.
Medication Eye Drops
- Start your drops 2 days before your surgery.
Day of Surgery
Food & Drink
Do Not Eat After Midnight the Night Before Surgery
- This includes no soup, chewing gum, or hard candies.
Only Clear Fluids From Three Hours
- Only clear fluids three hours before your surgery time (water, herbal tea, apple juice, ginger ale). No milk or cream in the tea. No soup or broth.
Transportation
You MUST have an escort/driver
- You must have an escort/driver to accompany you home. Your escort is expected to stay at the surgery centre the entire time you are there in case of an emergency, which may take 1-3 hours. Drop-offs are strongly discouraged.
Failure to Comply May Result in Cancelled or Delayed Surgery; Cancellation Fees Will be Charged
Medication
- You SHOULD take your morning pills as usual (you must take blood pressure and heart pills) BUT DO NOT TAKE DIABETES PILLS OR ANY MEDICATION THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN WITH FOOD. Take your pills with sips of clear fluids three hours before your surgery.
- You MUST take blood pressure and heart pills.
- Do NOT take diabetes pills and/or insulin.
Other Instructions
- BRING ALL of your eye drops and a list of your medications
- WEAR loose-fitting clothes so that monitoring equipment can be applied easily
- DO NOT WEAR jewelry, and do not bring any other valuables
- DO NOT WEAR contact lenses, face cream, makeup, perfume, or aftershave
- BRING a valid form of payment (VISA, Mastercard, debit, or cash)
After Your Surgery
What to Expect
- It is normal for the operated eye to feel blurry, light-sensitive, tender, sandy, or itchy for hours to several days
- You may take regular or extra-strength Tylenol or Advil.
- Often the vision clears up slowly, but it can also be sharp within a day. Everyone heals differently and your two eyes will often heal differently from each other.
- You will see one of our doctors within 1 week for a follow-up visit.
Food & Drink
- You may EAT whatever you like after surgery, but DO NOT drink alcohol for 24 hours as this may interact with the anesthesia medications you had during the surgery.
Medication
- About an hour after the surgery, START USING MEDICATION EYE DROPS. Consult the drop instructions chart.
Wound Care
- A PLASTIC SHIELD (given to you on the day of surgery) is to be worn when you are sleeping or lying down for the first 3 days/nights after surgery.
- If your eyes burn, feel scratchy or itchy, USE LUBRICATING DROPS as often as you need.
- DO NOT put any pressure or rub your eye for 2 weeks.
- GENTLY CLEAN any eye drop residue from your lashes or the corner of your eye with a clean tissue.
- AVOID wearing makeup for 1 week. You can use face cream after surgery, but avoid around the eye.
Activities
- Take a BATH at any time, or SHOWER from the neck down for the first 3 days. Afterward, you can wash your hair, but avoid getting soap or water in the operated eye for 2 weeks.
- You may resume LIGHT ACTIVITIES (e.g. walking, reading, cooking, watching TV).
- You may bend, look down, tie your shoelaces, and sleep on any side you wish.
- AVOID STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES for 2 weeks, such as heavy lifting or intense exercises. RULE OF THUMB: if you need to strain to lift something or breathe heavily after an activity, wait 2 weeks before doing it.
- AVOID DIRTY/DUSTY ACTIVITIES for 2 weeks, such as gardening & home renovation.
- You can play golf or tennis after 1 week with protective eyewear.
- No underwater swimming or diving for 1 month.
- TRAVELING by care is permitted anytime, but wait 2 weeks before travelling by airplane.
- You should avoid DRIVING for 1-2 days or longer if your vision is still blurry, as you may not meet the legal driving standards. At your 1 week visit, your doctor will let you know if you can drive.
Work
- For office or desk jobs, resume work within 3-5 days. For jobs that require heavy lifting or working in dusty environments, we suggest 1-2 weeks off from work.
Glasses
- WEAR sunglasses whenever you are outdoors for at least 1 week for protection and because your eyes may be sensitive to bright lights.
- You may choose to wear your glasses if you feel more comfortable with them on, but often the prescription will change after surgery and you may see better without them.
- You may wear over the counter readers in the meantime before you see your optometrist.
- Book an appointment to see your OPTOMETRIST 1 month after your last surgery to check your new glasses prescription.
