The waiting is the hardest part. Here is exactly what happens so nothing catches you off guard.
Most of the anxiety around cataract surgery is not about the surgery itself. It is about the unknown: what happens when I walk through the door, who will be there, what will they do to me before I go in?
I asked two of our pre-op nurses, Megan and Kristen, to walk you through exactly what happens. Because when you know what to expect, the anxiety drops considerably.
You will receive a bonnet and shoe covers when you arrive. That is it. No gowns, no complicated prep. We want this to be as simple and comfortable as possible.
Our nursing team greets you and gets you settled. This is when the anxiety usually peaks, and it is our job to bring it down. We answer questions, explain what is coming, and make sure you feel taken care of.
We place drops in your surgical eye to dilate the pupil. This gives Dr. Tokuhara the view he needs to perform the procedure. The drops take a few minutes to work.
A small IV is placed, usually in the right hand. This is for fluids and the mild sedation that keeps you relaxed during surgery. If you are a difficult stick, tell us ahead of time. There are things we can do to make it more comfortable.
The anesthesia team comes by to review your health history, answer questions, and explain what the sedation will feel like. You will be relaxed but awake during surgery.
I come in personally before every surgery. I mark the operative eye, review the surgical plan one more time, and answer any last questions. This is your moment to ask anything that is on your mind.
The nurse who will be with you during the actual surgery comes by to introduce herself and let you know what to expect once you are in the room.
"I wish I had come sooner."
Our nurses hear this constantly. The waiting, the research, the anxiety that builds up before surgery is almost always worse than the actual experience. Once you are in the chair, the IV is in, and the team is talking you through it, the nervousness fades.
And when patients come back for their second eye? They are usually excited. They know what to expect, they know how good the result was on the first eye, and they are ready.
"They can't believe how much they didn't see before. Everything is clearer, crisper, brighter. They have likened it to cleaning a dirty window."
- Kristen, Pre-Op Nurse
Megan and Kristen walk you through the entire pre-op experience in this video. If you are scheduled for surgery, this is worth watching the night before.
Surgery is a team effort. From the pre-op nurses who calm your nerves, to the surgical tech who double-checks every instrument, to the anesthesiologist who keeps you comfortable, to the recovery team who watches over you afterward, every person has an important role. I am grateful to work with a team that takes the human side of surgery as seriously as the technical side. That is what makes a quick escape out of here possible.