Preparing for Cataract Surgery

Preparing for Cataract Surgery

We strive to make your surgical day as comfortable and pleasant as possible.  Please take a moment to review this information to make your surgical experience a smooth comfortable day.  We are more than happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have.

About Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure performed one eye at a time.  The surgery can be performed manually or with the assistance of a laser.  Manual cataract surgery requires the surgeon create an incision on the corneal surface to access the natural lens or cataract.  Thereafter the cataract is emulsified and removed.  An artificial lens is inserted to replace the cataract. 
Laser assisted cataract surgery allows for more precision and accuracy when creating the entry point on the corneal surface.  The laser also emulsifies the cataract to allow more ease with lens material extraction. 
 

Location of Your Surgery

The Eye and Laser Surgery Centers of New Jersey, LLC
330 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960
Phone number (973) 871-2020

Medical Clearance

Ensure paperwork is complete and sent to our office a minimum of 1 week prior to surgery. This is mandated by the state of New Jersey and must be filled out by your primary care physician within 30 days of surgery. Please contact us if your experience any changes in your health prior to surgery.

Pre-operative Phone Call

Anticipate a pre-operative phone call:  Our nurses from the Surgery Center will call you 1 to 2 days prior to your surgery date. We will verify your arrival time and review pre-operative instructions.  Please provide us with the best number to reach you.

Registration Process

Items to bring with you on the day of surgery:

1. Photo I.D (i.e, drivers licence or state-issued photo ID)
2. Insurance card 
3. Medication form
4. Medical questionnaire

Length of Stay

Plan to be in the surgery center for 2-3 hours. You are required to have another adult take you home after your surgery. We strongly urge to have someone with you the first 24 hours after surgery.
 

Fasting 

• Midnight before surgery, no food or drink is permitted, this is inclusive of water, gum, mints, and candy. 
• Brushing your teeth is allowed.  
• If you are a diabetic or have special needs we will try our best to accommodate.
• If you take a heart or blood pressure pill routinely in the morning, we ask that you DO take this with a small sip of water the day of surgery.
• If you are a diabetic, we advise you call your prescribing physician and tell them you are fasting for surgery.   They will instruct you accordingly. 
• If you are on a blood thinner it is NOT a concern for cataract surgery patients.
• If you are on blood thinners and you are a retina surgical patient, you need to consult your prescribing physician for permission to stop medication. We would like you to be off all blood thinner for 5-7 days prior to retina surgery.
• All routine medications (including eye drops)can resume post-operatively unless we instruct otherwise the day of surgery.

Day of Surgery

• Please wear comfortable and loose clothing on the day of surgery. 
• You may wear your glasses to surgery.  Contact lens wear is not permitted a minimum of 24 hours prior to surgery date.
• Please refrain from wearing any jewelry the day of your surgery.
• Please leave all valuables at home. You will be provided with a locker for your personal items during your stay.
• Please bring sunglasses to wear home to minimize sensitivity to light
• Be prepared to change.  You will have to change into a surgical gown and attire.

Post Operative Instructions

• Discharge instructions will be given to you the day of surgery. A copy will be sent home with you. 
• Please refrain from heavy lifting- greater than 10 pounds for 2 weeks
• Excessive bending for 2 weeks
• Exercise or weight lifting for 2 weeks
• Take caution with washing face to avoid water to enter the eyes, you may use a wet washcloth or facial wipes to clean face for 2 weeks
• Refrain from the use of Ibuprofen for 2 weeks
• Continue all medications as directed by your primary care physician.
• Use sunglasses when in brightly light room or outside to reduce light sensitivity.
• Post operative medications:
• Tobredex antibiotic/steroid combination eye drop- 1 drop 4 times a day to operated eye.  (ie: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime schedule).  We will call in the medication to your pharmacy.
• Tylenol as needed for discomfort.

Post operative observations

It is COMMON to experience the following symptoms after cataract surgery:

• Dull headache or ache
• Floaters
• Redness of the eye
• Burry vision
• Flickering of light or cresent shaped image 

Post operative follow up appointments:

We request to see you day 1, week 1, month 1, and month 3 for your post operative visits after cataract surgery.  Additional appointment may be made based on individual patient outcomes.  These appointments will be scheduled with one of our team of doctors.