Went to schedule things today. Getting the dropless procedure. This is more complicated than a colonoscopy procedure.

First I have to have a physical from my MD signed off first.
Second I have to have someone physically with me for 24 hours following the surgery because of the anesthesia given. WTH? Never a requirement for the anesthesia (usually propofol) used for colonoscopies.

Gesh Louise!
So I had my every 4 month internist appointment rescheduled to get his sign off.
And I'm coordinating with son and my next door neighbor for the 24 hour post surgery monitoring (baby sitting).

I'm also required to visit my ophthalmologist for checkups 24 hours and one week following the surgery.

I just had a colonoscopy last February ... and my wife had to wait on site, drive me home, stay with me for 24 hours and I could not sign any legal paperwork. They used propofol too.

Maybe because of the prep used and not the drugs.

Well it has been just over 5 years since my last colonoscopy. (Another thing I need to schedule.)

Perhaps things have changed where out of both an abundance of caution and liability concerns, folks being given anesthesia must now be monitored for 24 hours.

Maybe one of our member medical folks can weigh in here.

It is up to the GI specialist and their practice.

I've had four o five colonoscopies in my life. All were uneventful until the last one. The propofol left me seriously hungover for an entire day. I'm 64, maybe it gets worse with age. They're probably just being cautious.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: vinnybass,

Seems like standard post op cataract surgery care.

Quitcher whinin', and enjoy the colors, man.

Oh, and wear the eyeshield they give you for sleeping.

The best part of the cataract procedure was the happy nap and a cute nurse.

The worst part was having my wife drive me home.

quote:

Originally posted by RichardC:
Seems like standard post op cataract surgery care.

Quitcher whinin', and enjoy the colors, man.

Oh, and wear the eyeshield they give you for sleeping.

this,

wife had hers done last month
doc was out of town, as in we drove to Lynchburg

down day before, cataract done early in the AM, get her back to the hotel,
the stuff wore off by mid afternoon,

revist the next day, and then back agian the next week (yup, 7 days) for the other eye,

no bending over, no lifting, no straining, stay hydrated etc etc for 2 weeks then she went back to see him for another follow up,,

Might be fun to go to the follow-up appointment wearing dark glasses and using a white cane . . . .

Anesthesia for cataract? I said "no, thank you" to the valium that was offered. Drops to numb the eyes, and that was it.

No pain at all, some discomfort with a feeling of pulling and tugging, but certainly no worse than having a tooth filled, and over in a shorter time than a dental procedure.

I was actually in the OR for about ten minutes for each eye (two weeks apart).

I had no requirement for a baby-sitter other than they did not want me to drive home, so they would not start the prep until they verified that there was a somebody waiting to drive me.

I did have post-op checks, similar to what you (bald1) posted, at the same eye clinic where the cataract procedures were done.

quote:

Originally posted by SigSAC:

Might be fun to go to the follow-up appointment wearing dark glasses and using a white cane . . . .

I had my cataracts done at Filutowski -- a very large eye clinic in Florida, specializing in cataracts and LASIK.

There are always quite a few people in the waiting room. I wanted to come out of the exam room on my follow-up, with a white cane, pause in the middle of the waiting area, and throw the cane down on the floor, while shouting "Praise the Lord! I am cured!"

My wife said "1506 nix nix."

I had cataract surgery twice, once to remove a lens and replace it and the other for just the lens, I did not have anybody with me to drive because I was out of town at the Cleveland Clinic alone. Both times the surgery was done with a constant flow of numbing solution.Little pain, just the unpleasant knowledge that somebody was messing with my eye, no real pain.
No need for a driver or escort.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
Anesthesia for cataract?

I got it but it was more a relaxant. I was awake for the entire procedure.

quote:

Originally posted by vinnybass:
I've had four o five colonoscopies in my life. All were uneventful until the last one. The propofol left me seriously hungover for an entire day. I'm 64, maybe it gets worse with age. They're probably just being cautious.

Isn't this cararact surgery???

quote:

Originally posted by rscalzo:

Isn't this cataract surgery???

My opening post contrasted the prospective cataract relaxer / anesthesia with my colonoscopy anesthesia history, so vinnybass's comments are applicable here.

In my area if you have the anesthetic for a colonoscopy you must have a driver and someone to monitor you. Do without the anesthesia and you can drive yourself home and take a good long nap without any concern. I do without, have an enlarged prostrate and anesthetics will shut that off for 12 hours or more, which means when you finally can pee you will be in some pain. In addition there is a risk of a perforation with every colonoscopy and being wide awake allows me an option of hollering out before a perforation occurs.

WRT cataract surgery vs. colonoscopy...do not let the optometrist go in through your asshole!

I had my cataracts done about 3 years ago. I had to fight to pass on the valium pill. The nurse said the valium was for safety purposes - I asked for me or the doctor. Anyway both eyes were an easy, easy procedure and I drove myself home. I now have the best vision I've had in my life.

quote:

Originally posted by bald1:
Went to schedule things today. Getting the dropless procedure. This is more complicated than a colonoscopy procedure.

First I have to have a physical from my MD signed off first.
Second I have to have someone physically with me for 24 hours following the surgery because of the anesthesia given. WTH? Never a requirement for the anesthesia (usually propofol) used for colonoscopies.

Gesh Louise!
So I had my every 4 month internist appointment rescheduled to get his sign off.
And I'm coordinating with son and my next door neighbor for the 24 hour post surgery monitoring (baby sitting).

I'm also required to visit my ophthalmologist for checkups 24 hours and one week following the surgery.

Bald, just Following up as to how the procedure went for you? I'm scheduled for both eyes to be done in May, a week apart. Were you just numbed with drops or did they use something else in addition? I've never been operated on although I did have a colonoscopy but I was knocked out for that. I'm a little apprehensive about him poking around in my eye while I'm awake! Any suggestions from those who've had cataracts removed appreciated.
My doc said there's not much to the procedure just a few drops and it's over in 10 minutes, no lifting over 25# and don't lower my head below my waist for a day, wear sun glasses outside and a shield at night, and eye drops multiple times every day for a while. Naturally he suggested I go with the most expensive lens to reduce the need for glasses which'll run around $2,800 per eye.