Patient information before surgery

An appointment for a pre-operative consultation with an ophthalmic surgeon and an anaesthesiologist must be scheduled in advance (preferably one week beforehand). Please bring any discharge summaries or reports from previous examinations and surgeries to the consultation.

ON THE DAY OF SURGERY

Have a light breakfast, avoiding foods with a strong smell (onions, garlic).

Make sure to take all medications that you take regularly. Your medication regimen on the day of surgery and during the post-operative period remains unchanged.

After surgery, the eye will be covered with a dressing to protect it from accidental contamination. You may remove the dressing when you arrive home.

The eyelids may be gently cleansed (but not the eye itself) with sterile cotton moistened with an aqueous solution of furacilin 0.02% or chloramphenicol 0.25% (available at pharmacies).

Starting from the first day after surgery, it is not necessary to keep the eye continuously covered.

REHABILITATION PERIOD

The following recommendations are general and intended for most patients. In some cases, your doctor may prescribe an individual treatment plan and a schedule of follow-up visits. Please confirm the recommendations at each appointment with your doctor.

• Regimen. Adhering to the post-operative regimen has therapeutic value. The surgeon or your attending physician will advise you on how to behave during the first 24 hours after surgery. Afterwards, please confirm the specifics of the post-operative regimen with your doctor.
• Hygiene. When washing your face, avoid getting soap or water into the eye. When washing your hair, tilt your head back, not forward. If water gets into the operated eye, rinse it with an aqueous solution of furacilin 0.02% or chloramphenicol 0.25% (available at pharmacies).
• Be sure to visit your doctor on the appointed day.
• Eye drops are necessary for faster healing and for the prevention of infectious complications. Typically, the surgeon prescribes several medications: antibiotic drops, anti-inflammatory drops, or combination products.

VISUAL ACUITY IN THE POST-OPERATIVE PERIOD

Vision recovers gradually. During the first days after surgery, vision may be reduced due to mild corneal swelling or a dilated pupil (this usually resolves within a week). Final recovery of vision in the operated eye typically occurs in about one month; therefore, eyeglass fitting (with a monofocal intraocular lens) is recommended after this period. Glasses can be prescribed locally or at our medical centre.

RULES FOR INSTILLING EYE DROPS

1. Wash your hands thoroughly.
2. Open the bottle.
3. Tilt your head back or lie on your back and look upward.
4. Hold the bottle upside down above the eye without touching the eye or eyelashes.
5. Gently pull the lower eyelid downward.
6. Look upward and gently squeeze the bottle so that a drop falls into the space between the eyeball and the lower eyelid.
7. Close your eyes.
8. To increase effectiveness and reduce systemic absorption, gently press the inner corner of the eye with a finger (through a sterile tissue).
9. If more than one type of drops is prescribed, wait about 5 minutes between instillations.
10. Close the bottle and store it according to the instructions.