Before surgery

Meet with your regular health care provider

• Make an appointment with your regular health care provider 30 days before your surgery for a history and physical exam (known as an H&P). You may be asked you to bring the H&P results with you to surgery. Your clinic can also fax the H&P to 612-775-8931.
• Ask which medicines you should take the morning of surgery.
• Ask which medicines you should not take the morning of surgery. Be sure you understand when to start taking your medicines again.
• If you have diabetes, ask your health care provider about taking your diabetes medicine before surgery.

Arrange for help after surgery

It is recommended that you have an adult caregiver stay with you overnight to help you after surgery. He or she will need to:

• be with you at the hospital to hear your nurse explain your after care instructions
• drive you home (You will not be able to drive for 24 hours.)
• understand your after care instructions

Arrange for a ride home after surgery

• Have a family member or friend drive you home.
• If you live within 20 miles of Phillips Eye Institute and need a ride to and from the hospital, a van service is available. Please call your eye surgeon's office at least two days before surgery to arrange for a ride.

  Someone from the van service will call you the day before surgery (between 3 and 7 p.m.) to confirm your pick-up time.

  Your caregiver will need to meet you when the van brings you home.

Pre-registration call

Someone from admissions will call you to pre-register you so your paperwork will be ready when you arrive to the hospital. This makes the check-in process easier before surgery.

Day of surgery

What to eat before surgery

The evening before surgery, have a small dinner. Do not drink alcohol. Follow your health care provider's medicine directions.

Adults and teens (13 years and older):

• Do not eat solid foods after midnight the night before surgery.
• Drink clear liquids* up to five hours before surgery.

Children (ages 2 to 12 years):

• Do not drink milk or eat solid food after midnight the night before surgery.
• Drink clear liquids* up to four hours before surgery.

Infants and young children (to 2 years):

• Do not eat solid foods after midnight the night before surgery.
• Drink clear liquids* up to three hours before surgery.
• Drink breastmilk up to four hours before surgery.
• Drink formula up to six hours before surgery.

* Clear liquids are: water, clear juice (such as apple or cranberry juice), soft drinks, Popsicle®, Jell-O®, broth, black coffee (nothing added) or tea.

Directions for using eye drops

• Follow any directions your eye doctor gives you.
• If you currently use eye drops, use them as directed.
• You will likely receive several different eye drops at Phillips Eye Institute before your surgery. The drops will make your pupil larger and help numb your eye.
• You may receive new eye drop prescriptions after surgery. The hospital's pharmacy can fill these so you have them ready to go home with you.

To use eye drops, follow these directions:

• Wash your hands well with soap and water.
• Do not touch the dropper tip against your eye or skin.
• Tilt your head back. Pull down on your lower eyelid with your index finger to form a pocket.
• Hold the dropper tip down as close to your eye as you can without touching it.
• Brace your other fingers on your face.
• Gently squeeze the dropper so the correct number of drops fall into the "pocket" on your lower eyelid.
• Close your eyelid for two to three minutes.
• Wipe off any extra liquid on your face with a tissue.
• Don't wipe or rinse the dropper tip. Replace and tighten the cap.
• Wash your hands.

What to bring to the hospital

• Bring your insurance card, Medicare card (if you have one) and your pharmacy card.
• Bring a photo ID.
• Bring your device card if you have an implanted pacemaker or defibrillator.
• Bring your glasses so you can fill out, read and sign paperwork.
• Bring a credit card, cash or check if you have insurance copays or if you are paying for the surgery yourself.
• Bring a list of all the medicines you are taking. Include prescription, over-the-counter, vitamins, herbals and natural medicines.
  • Write down how much of each medicine you take.
  • Write down how strong each medicine is. Example: one Advil® tablet is 200 mg.
• If you are staying overnight at the hospital:
  • bring your prescription medicines in their original bottles
  • bring a change of clothes
  • bring a container for glasses or hearing aids (if you wear them).

What not to bring to the hospital

• Do not bring any valuables.
• Do not wear jewelry or a watch.
• Do not bring a cell phone or other mobile devices.
• Do not bring credit cards or money unless you need them for copays or payment.

What to wear to surgery

• Wear loose-fitting clothing.
• Wear comfortable shoes.
• Do not wear make-up.
• Do not wear mascara for two days before surgery.

Check in and surgery timeline

Checking in for surgery

• Your surgery will start about 1½ to 2 hours after you arrive at the hospital. Preparing for eye surgery and making sure all patients are safe takes time. That's why you are asked to arrive early.

  The Phillips Eye Institute staff appreciates your understanding as your health care team works to provide the best possible care for you.

• Check in at the registration desk. A staff member will help you get checked in.

Your safety

You will be asked many times during your visit to verify your name and birth date. You may also be asked to give details about your surgery. These questions are being asked for your safety.

Surgery timeline

Waiting room (30 to 90 minutes):

• talk with nurse
• give eye drops (if needed)
• wait to go to pre-surgery preparation.

Pre-surgery preparation room (60 minutes):

• heart and blood pressure monitors connected
• intravenous (IV) line started in your hand or arm
• talk with anesthesiologist (doctor who will give you sedation)
• verify the surgery site
• receive sedation

Operating room (varies):

• surgery

Recovery unit (30 minutes):

• nurse will check your heart, blood pressure and temperature
• rate your pain
• pain relief, if needed
• snack and drink will be offered
• IV line removed
• discharge instructions (for your care at home) reviewed.

How to manage your pain

Your comfort and safety are important to your health care team. Please tell a member of your team if you feel any pain or discomfort. This includes pressure, tingling, burning or other feelings.

Your discharge instructions will have information about how to manage your pain at home.

Prescriptions filled before you go home

Your prescriptions can be filled at the Allina Health Phillips Eye Institute Pharmacy. The pharmacy staff will call your doctor and clarify any medicine or insurance issues.

The Phillips Eye Institute Pharmacy accepts most types of insurance. Its prices are competitive with other retail pharmacies.

Refills can be mailed to your home, picked up at the pharmacy, or transferred to a different pharmacy of your choice.

Having a diagnostic test

On the day of your test, please arrive 15 minutes before your test is scheduled to begin.

• Come to the registration desk, where a staff member will confirm your registration details.
• A staff member will then escort you to the diagnostic and treatment services area. Your family and/or friends may wait for you there.

As you get ready to come, keep these details in mind:

• Food: You can eat or drink as usual on the day of your visit.
• Medication: Take all of your prescribed medications. However, your physician may instruct you to discontinue your eye drops before your tests.
• Transportation: For most procedures you will be able to drive yourself, unless instructed otherwise by your ophthalmologist. If you cannot drive or have no means of transportation, your ophthalmologist’s office can help arrange transportation to and from the Institute.

Having laser treatment

On the day of your visit, please arrive one hour before your procedure is scheduled to begin.

• Come to the registration desk, where a staff member will confirm your registration details.
• A staff member will then escort you to the diagnostic and treatment services area. Your family and/or friends may wait for you there.

As you get ready to come, keep these details in mind:

• Food: You can eat and drink as usual on the day of your visit. 
• Medication: Unless instructed otherwise, take all of your regular prescribed medications, including eye drops and insulin on the day of your visit. Bring a list of all your prescribed medications and your eye drops with you on the day of your procedure.
• Transportation: You may or may not be able to drive yourself home. This depends on the type of procedure you have. Ask your ophthalmologist if you will need to have someone drive you home. If you do not have anyone available, your ophthalmologist's office can help arrange transportation to and from the Institute.