I. Surgery Instructions

A) Past Assignment:

Fixing date of your eye surgery: All eye surgeries including cataract, retinal etc are day care eye surgeries at Aster Eye Care NOT requiring overnight stay in our centre

• Meet the consultant for expert opinion, fixing the time & date of surgery.
• Fill the required consent forms.
• Collect the list of medicines, list of investigations & instruction sheet from the hospital staff.
• Fix the appointment for your A-Scan test if cataract surgery for determining power of lens after surgery.
• Fix and complete your pre-surgery investigations. Laboratory services are provided by an outsourced unit. Samples will be collected at the centre. However, patient is free to choose his/her preferred lab centre. For the sake of convenience, cost and quality we recommend getting it done from the lab centre tied up with Aster Eye Care. ECG testing is done at this centre. The tests must be done at least one week prior to surgery.
• Please come with all your reports in person or send a relative with the same to fix date of surgery with hospital staff. The time of admission will be informed at time of fixing the surgery. This will be reconfirmed on the day before the surgery. If there is a change you will be informed accordingly.
• Insurance patients- Please provide a copy of your card and insurance policy to the front reception staff.
• Use your eye drops and tablets as per the prescription given to you by the nurse / doctor.
• Upon discharge, please take your discharge summary and confirm your follow up visit (date and time)

B) Common pre operative instructions

• Patient must not eat any solid food 3 hours prior to surgery or have liquids 2 hours prior to surgery, unless instructed otherwise. The food must be a light meal.
• The patient should take a head bath in the morning of the day of surgery.
• A responsible relative or attendant must accompany the patient for surgery.
• The patient must bring along all his reports and prescribed list of current medications including any other medication which the patient is taking. This is to be handed over to the nurse after admission.
• If the patient is taking any medication for high blood pressure, cardiac problems, asthma, or medicines like anticonvulsants etc, the patient must take this medication with a few sips of water even if asked to come fasting.
• Start the antibiotic tablets and dilating eye drops as per the prescription given to you by the nurse / doctor.

C) Special instructions

1) For diabetics:

• Take the dose of insulin or tablets with a light meal, unless instructed otherwise.
• If asked to come fasting overnight (12 hours) - for general anaesthesia or surgery under sedation - Do not take a dose of insulin or anti-diabetic tablets.

2) For G6PD patients:

• Patients must bring this condition to the notice of the doctor before starting any per operative medications.

3) For Glaucoma Surgery:

• Do NOT use the dilating eye drops.

4) For retinal / squint surgery:

• Fasting time should be 12 hours prior to time of surgery.
• Patient must not have any solid or liquids in this period except few sips of water to take any medications for high blood pressure, cardiac problems, asthma etc.

5) For those on anticoagulant treatment:

• If you are using any anti-coagulants like aspirin, Ecosprin, Loprin etc - Stop it 72 hours before the date of surgery.
• If using long acting anticoagulants such as Warfarin, Clopidogrel etc - Stop the tablets 7 days earlier. The same can be restarted the day after your surgery.

If you have any further queries please call the hospital and speak to the Doctor / Nurse for clarifications.

II. Activities to be expected after surgery

• After the surgery you will be seen by the doctor and may go home shortly thereafter. You must not drive yourself home. Please make arrangements beforehand for a ride.
• The day of surgery you should plan to take it easy. Generally there is very little if any discomfort following surgery. If you do experience some mild pain, you may take the pain killers prescribed.
• Your eye will be patched after surgery. You will receive specific instructions at the end of surgery before your leave the hospital. The dark glasses will be handed to you from our hospital.
• D. You will be informed of all post operative care and instructions by the Nurse at time of discharge.
• Improvement in vision is gradual. You will have an appointment with our optometrist about a month after surgery for your eye glass prescription. These glasses may need to be adjusted later as your eye continues to heal.

III. Specific post operative instructions

A) Cleaning your eye:

• For the first week following surgery you should protect the eye from injury. Do not rub or put pressure on the eye.
• Take small pieces of cotton wool and place them in a bowl containing water. Boil for 10 minutes and keep the bowl covered. Wash your hands with soap. Take a small piece of the sterilized cotton wool from the bowl. Squeeze out the excess water. Clean the discharge around the upper and lower lids without applying pressure on the eye.