The day of your eye surgery: everything patients ask

The unknown is what makes surgery day stressful. Here is the whole thing, in order, with the questions patients ask most.

Can I eat and drink beforehand?

For surgery under drops, yes — eat and drink normally unless told otherwise. If sedation or general anaesthetic is planned, you will be given fasting instructions, usually no food for six hours and clear fluids up to two hours before.

Should I take my usual medication?

Yes, including blood pressure tablets. Blood thinners such as warfarin, apixaban or clopidogrel are usually continued for modern lens surgery — do not stop them without instruction. Diabetic medication may need adjusting if you are fasting.

What should I wear?

Comfortable, loose clothing and a top that buttons rather than pulls over your head. No eye make-up, mascara or false lashes, and no perfume or aftershave.

How long am I at the hospital?

Usually two to three hours in total: about an hour of preparation and drops, 10–20 minutes in theatre per eye, then a short recovery and discharge check.

Do I need someone with me?

Yes. You must not drive home, and you should have a responsible adult with you for the first evening.

What happens in the anaesthetic room?

Dilating and anaesthetic drops are repeated, your identity and consent are confirmed, and the eye to be treated is marked. Sedation, if you have requested it, is given here.

What do I see and feel during surgery?

You lie flat with a light shining into the eye and a soft drape over your face with oxygen flowing beneath it. The eyelids are held gently open so you cannot blink. You see moving lights and colours, not instruments, and you feel pressure and cool fluid rather than pain.

Will I be able to talk to the surgeon?

Yes. Talk if you need to. If you must cough or move, say so and we pause.

What about the second eye?

In UK practice the eyes are usually treated one to four weeks apart, which allows the first refractive result to refine the second lens calculation.

What happens immediately afterwards?

A clear shield is placed over the eye, you sit in recovery with a drink for 20–30 minutes, your drops and instructions are explained, and you go home. Vision is misty and improves over hours.

When is my first check?

Usually the next morning, occasionally the same evening. You will also be given a number to call at any hour.

What should I do that evening?

Rest, keep the shield on for sleeping, start your drops as instructed, and do not rub the eye. Watching television and using a phone are fine.

Ask us your own question

Every eye is different, and a general answer is never a substitute for your own scans. Ms Tahmina Pearsall is an NHS Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon with over 40,000 procedures performed, offering consultant-led private cataract surgery, lens replacement and laser eye surgery across 17 UK clinic locations. You can check current fixed prices, read patient reviews or book a consultation.

This article is general information written by a consultant ophthalmic surgeon and does not replace an individual examination.