Factsheets Day of the Operation

Introduction

What to expect on the day of the operation

This factsheet will look at some of the things to expect on the day of the operation and help to anticipate and plan a successful day.

Before the operation

• On the day of the operation patients are not expected to eat or drink anything.  This will have been discussed with a nurse at the pre-operative meeting.

Eye drops

• Before the operation a nurse will help administer a series of eye drops to prepare the eye for surgery.  This can happen 4 to 5 times every 25 to 30 minutes.

Anaesthetic

• The anaesthetist will discuss with the patient and supporters how the operation will be safely carried out.  It is important to remember that:
  • Most people who have a general anaesthetic have it administered with a needle in the back of their hand.
  • Some people will take some medicines before the operation to relax them, help them sleep and make them less scared.
  • Some people will completely refuse to have a needle in their hand to administer anaesthetic.  People have had anaesthetic administered using gas, via a mask over the face.  If this is an anticipated problem you must discuss this with the anaesthetist.

Immediately after the operation

Information for patients

• You will wake up with a pad over your eye.  This is to stop you from bumping it by mistake or rubbing it. 
• You may feel a bit sick when you wake up.  But you will soon feel better.
• Most people see well when the pad is taken off.  Other people do not see very clearly to start with but you should see better after a few days.
• Your eye shouldn’t hurt after the operation.  Talk to someone if it hurts.
• You should tell someone if you can’t see well or feel worried.
• You will have eye drops.
• You may have to sleep with a patch over your eye.  Don’t rub your eye.  It will get better quicker if you don’t touch it.
• You may need to take it easy after the operation.  The doctor will tell you what to do.
• After a few weeks you will see the ophthalmologist or the optometrist.  They will look into your eye to make sure it is getting better.  You may have to put your chin on special equipment while they check your eye.  There are lots of ways to check your eye, so ask them to explain what they are going to do.

The ophthalmologist will talk to you about new glasses.  Lots of people need glasses after a cataract operation.

Information for supporters

• Immediately after surgery most people can be very confused and disorientated due to effect of anaesthetic.
• This is the time when people may attempt to remove eye patches and tubes.
• A friendly and familiar supporter has an important role in reassuring and calming the person until they return to the ‘here and now’.
• It may be useful to tell the nurse that you will be staying with the person as generally members of the public are not usually admitted to the recovery ward.

Eye-rubbing after surgery

We have been told about various strategies staff have adopted to ensure that individuals at risk of damaging their eyes after surgery still benefit from eye operations.

We cannot recommend how to deal with potential problems because each person is different and surgery may be tackled in different ways.  However, we have recorded how some staff have coped when people were at grave risk of damaging the positive outcome of surgery. 

Follow-up treatment

• An operation is not the end of the story!  It is obviously important that all follow-up appointments are kept and supporters continue to monitor people closely for signs of eye problems.
• People who have had surgery to improve their sight usually need regular eye examinations and new prescriptions for glasses or contact lenses. 
• Registered blind/severely sight impaired and partially sighted/sight impaired people are entitled to free NHS sight tests - but we hope that eye surgery will be successful in preventing more people losing their sight.

June 2009 

For Futher Information on this Topic please read:

Eye Conditions that Require Surgery

Eye Surgery for People with Learning Disabilities

Planning the Operation

Preoperative Procedures

What to Expect at Hospital

Related Information:

Cataracts and Eye Surgery

Consent to Medical Treatment

Eye Drops for People with Learning Disabilities

Surgery Support Plan 

Eye Poking and Touching in People with Learning Disabilities

Eye Poking and Touching - Strategies for Supporting People