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Surgical Information
Pre-operative Surgical Info
- BEFORE your surgery, you are scheduled for a pre-surgical appointment at our office.
- You will be given instructions regarding your surgery and when and how to use the prescribed eye medications by one of the assistants.
- Any questions you may have will be answered at this time. We suggest that you be accompanied by the person who will be with you after surgery. Do not hesitate to call us if you have any questions.
One Day Before Cataract Surgery
- Begin using the eye medications prescribed for you on your preoperative visit.
- Follow the instructions that will be given to you about not eating or drinking after midnight the night before and morning of surgery.
- Relax and get a good night's sleep.
Day of Cataract Surgery
- Surgery will be performed at the pre-specified surgical center. Los Angeles Lasik surgeon Dr. Benjamin will perform surgery.
- Follow the preoperative instructions that we will give you on your preoperative appointment regarding: no eating or drinking, the medications you should take, and the time of arrival at the center.
- Bring ALL the prescribed eye medications with you.
- Please leave all valuables and non-essentials at home.
- Wear comfortable, easy on-and-off clothing (preferable a blouse or shirt that does not go over your head) and flat shoes.
- DO NOT wear any facial or eye makeup or facial creams or lotions.
- If you wear hearing aids, please put them in. We will have you remove the hearing aid from the ear on the side which is going to have surgery just prior to the surgery.
- ON ARRIVAL at the surgical center check-in at the scheduled time at the front desk.
- You will be given eye drops and medications which are necessary to perform your surgery.
- While in preoperational holding area medical personal and Dr. Benjamin will ask you on which eye the surgery will be performed.
Cataract Surgery
- Surgery is performed by Dr. Benjamin in the operating room with an anesthesiologist and the nursing staff in attendance at all times.
- The surgery takes anywhere from 10-40 minutes, depending on the type of procedure.
- The person that accompanies you will be kept informed of your progress.
Post-operative Surgical Info
After Cataract Surgery
- You will be taken to the recovery room with dark glasses on.
- You will be in this area for about 30 minutes to one hour after anesthesia to recover from the effects of the anesthesia sedation.
Discharge From the Surgery Center
- You will be discharged ONLY when you have recovered sufficiently from the anesthetic effects and have been evaluated by a physician.
- Home-care instructions will be reviewed with you and your family or the person assisting your care.
- We suggest that someone stay with you at home for 24 hours after surgery, but this is not necessary.
- You MUST have someone pick you up to drive you home after surgery. The person can wait for you or we will call them when you are ready to go home. They must be available to pick you up when you are ready to go home.
On Arrival Home After Cataract Surgery
- Prescribed medications should be used in the operated eye as directed above until the medication is used up or the doctor tells you to stop.
- Continue to use all medications you were using in your other eye.
- Eye Care:
- Never rub your eye.
- DO NOT put anything in the operated eye except the medications prescribed for you by Los Angeles Lasik surgeon Dr. Benjamin for use after surgery.
- If you were wearing contact lenses, you may put the lens in your unoperated eye only. DO NOT put a lens in the operated eye.
- Eye makeup is NOT to be worn for one week after surgery.
- It is normal to have some discomfort from the eye after surgery. Tylenol can be taken to relieve this.
- You should wear protective glasses for one (1) week when you are outside (We provide these). Regular, clear glasses when you are inside. If your own glasses adversely affect the vision in your operated eye, the prescription lens can be replaced with a noncorrective lens until the eye is healed (about 4 weeks to 3 month after surgery).
- An eye shield SHOULD be worn at nap time and during sleep for one (1) week. Tape the shield over the operated eye with the pointed part toward the nose.
- Medications: You MUST return to all the medications you were taking before your surgery or as prescribed by your internist or medical doctor.
- Activities: Upon arriving home after surgery you may return to your normal diet if you had local anesthesia with sedation. Take it easy. You may watch TV and read.
Day After Cataract Surgery
- You have an appointment at the office to see Dr. Benjamin.
- Driving a car is NOT recommended for at least 24 hours after surgery, thereafter driving is permitted if you can see well enough. Only you can determine you can drive safely.
- You may shower and wash your hair, but avoid getting soap in your eyes.
- You may resume all of your normal activities with the exception of strenuous exercising and swimming. (You may resume these about 2 weeks after surgery.)
- It is impossible to list and advise regarding every possible activity. You must evaluate those activities not listed, using your own common sense. If in doubt, please call our office.
Post Surgery Office Care
- The first postoperative office appointment on the day after surgery is extremely important! It cannot be missed!
- Subsequent office visits will be scheduled at one week, one month, three months, then every six months for a year and yearly thereafter. Eye surgery patients must have an eye exam once a year after the surgery!.
- If you do not take all medications as directed after surgery or do not return for all scheduled appointments, Dr. Benjamin cannot be responsible for the outcome of your surgery.
General Guidelines
- The majority of patients does extremely well and sees as well following surgery as they did before the cataract developed.
- You may or may not see clearly right away after surgery with your operated eye. This depends on many variables such as eye pressure, or the effect of the incision producing temporary astigmatism (astigmatism is an alteration in the curvature of the cornea).
- Dr. Benjamin may change your medications or your activities based on his evaluation of how your eye is healing.
- Rarely are stitches used, but if they are, the stitch is left in to dissolve on it's own over 1-4 years. It rarely requires removal.
- ALL patients with intraocular lens implants (ReSTOR, ReZoom Procedure) will require some correction with an eyeglass prescription (near and far or bifocals) to finely sharpen your vision to the best it can be. This is necessary because the intraocular lens cannot automatically focus like your own lens used to when you were under 40. This prescription will be given to you 1-3 weeks after the surgery.
Appointment Summary
- Visual field examination and preoperative office visit with Los Angeles Lasik surgeon Dr. Benjamin (please allow 1/2 -1.5 hours for this visit).
- History and physical examination/Laboratory work/ EKG (must be done within 1 week before surgery date). Make an appointment to see your family doctor .
- One day postoperative office examination. (It is advisable to arrange for someone to drive you to the office for this appointment).
- Prior to surger: You are scheduled for pre-surgery testing at our office.
- Intraocular lens power calculation.
- This test involves measuring the length of your eye to calculate the correct lens implant power for your eye. This procedure also provides other information about the health of the back of your eye, as well as other factors that Dr. Benjamin uses to determine the type and technique of surgery that will be safest for your eye.
- If you wear soft contact lenses, please bring your glasses with you. If you wear hard or gas-permeable contact lenses, please *remove them two (2) weeks before the lens calculation appointment. If this is a problem, please call our office.Removal of contact lenses for the 2 weeks prior to this test is extremely important for the accuracy of the calculation of the lens power that will be inserted in your eye. This calculation determines your visual outcome after surgery.
- Peripheral Visual Field Test.
- This tests the peripheral vision of your eye to rule out neurologic and other eye diseases that would not be seen during Dr. Benjamin's examination of your eye.
- Medical History and Physical Examinations.
- You will need to see a medical doctor within one (1) week (if you are scheduled at Cedar Sinai or at Olympia Hospital) OR within 3 (three) months (if you are scheduled at Specialty Surgical Center) before your scheduled surgery date for a complete history and physical examination, chest x-ray, electrocardiogram, and laboratory blood tests.)
- We will send the necessary forms to your physician.
LASIK SURGERY INFO
Prior to your surgery day
- Please arrange alternative transportation for after your surgery.
- Depending upon your occupation, you may need to arrange to be away from work for up to 4 days following your surgery.
- There are generally no restrictions on eating or taking medications before or on your surgery day, however, please advise us of any medications you are taking.
- You will not be driving long distances for approximately 3 days after LASIK and 7 days after PRK.
- Please remove all eye makeup a minimum of 3 days prior to surgery. For your own safety, surgery will be cancelled if makeup is present.
- Please review the consent form as this is to be signed on the day of your surgery.
- Payment is due before the surgery day in order that you can focus on your day without the time and stress of payment or financing.
The day of surgery
- Please note that you might feel nervous, anxious or excited prior to your procedure. This is a completely natural, normal response.
- Please refrain from wearing perfume or cologne on your surgery date. Please do not use any hair products that contain alcohol such as hair spray or mousse.
- Please pre-arrange alternate transportation for after your surgery.
- Please be aware that after your surgery your eyes will be irritated and light sensitive.This usually dissipates within 24 hours after surgery.
- We recommend avoiding alcohol 24 hours prior to and 48 hours after your surgery, as this tends to dehydrate the tissues.
- Wear comfortable clothing on your surgery day. Avoid clothing such as wool that may generate lint in the surgical suite.
- In consideration of others, and to ensure your visit is as comfortable as possible, please do not bring children with you to the clinic. The duration of your visit will be approximately 2 hours.
After surgery
- Please be advised that your follow-up care is as important as the actual procedure.
- Wear the sunglasses provided. Most other varieties do not provide adequate protection.
- You are required to return to our office within 24 hours after your surgery for your first mandatory post-operative appointment. Your appointment time will be given to you immediately after your surgery.
- Following your 24-hour visit there are 3 additional, mandatory visits required (5 for PRK). Should you choose your own eye care professional to provide the follow-up care, post-operative examinations are required at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months from the surgery date for LASIK, with additional appointments at 6 months and 1 year for PRK.
- Each post-operative appointment in our clinic takes approximately 15 minutes; it helps us to evaluate the healing process of your eyes and to guard against infection.
To schedule an appointment with Los Angeles Lasik surgeon Dr. Benjamin, please call 310.275.5533 and we would be happy to help you - or click here.
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