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When patients are admitted for Day Surgery, this means they’re able to have their procedure and return home on the same day. There is no overnight stay required.
A full understanding of the costs of your day surgery is important. An Informed Financial Consent is provided to you in writing and discussed either in person or over the phone. This is only provided after a consultation with one of our surgeons.
Before your procedure, you will be contacted by a nurse to answer some pre-admission questions and you will be given instructions for fasting. Most procedures require you to fast for 6 hours prior to your operation. It is advisable you do not fast for more than 6 hours. You are also encouraged to drink water up to 2 hours prior to the operation. Please follow these instructions as it decreases the chance of cancelling your appointment.
The facility is a non-smoking, non-alcohol facility. We recommend that you refrain from smoking or drinking alcohol at least 48 hours prior to your operation. However, there is a designated smoking area outside the building.
We recommend you wear light, comfortable clothing (you are not required to change so it is important that you are comfortable).
Please do not wear makeup or nail polish on the day of your procedure.
You are required to remove all jewellery and valuables – we advise you do not bring anything with you. Sydney Retina Clinic and Day Surgery does not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage of any valuables you bring with you.
Upon your arrival, our staff will arrange your admission and ensure that your documentation and paperwork is completed.
You will then be escorted to the pre-admission room where the admissions nurse will check your vital signs and obtain a brief medical history from you. The nurse will then administer eye drops into the eye in preparation for surgery. You will then be given a gown to put over your normal clothes and some booties and a hat to wear.
Before the procedure, you will have a consultation with the anaesthetist and discuss anything significant in your past medical history. This is to ensure that your general health is adequate for the procedure you are about to have.
You will then be taken into the theatre area where you will be prepared for surgery. The operation will be performed under a local anaesthetic that is injected into the area around your eye. To ensure maximum comfort you will be given some anaesthetic or sedation under the supervision of the anaesthetist and the anaesthetic nurse. This will make you drowsy and enable the eye to be anaesthetised comfortably.
After your procedure, you will be taken to the recovery area and a nurse will monitor your vital signs and assist your recovery from surgery.
On the rare occasion that you may require overnight care, processes are in place to aid your transfer to such facilities. There may be an additional fee involved should this be necessary.
Once in recovery, you will be given something to eat and drink. Please inform a member of our nursing staff if you have any food allergies.
The recovery nurse will explain your post-operative care instructions, including dressing care. You will also be given written instructions to take home with you. Please read these carefully. We welcome you to ask any questions you have regarding this before you leave the facility.
You will also be given a prescription for eye drops. Please fill the prescription and bring the drops along with your instruction sheet to your appointment the following day. Do not start the eyedrops until instructed to after your post-operative appointment.
It is important that you do not touch the eye and ensure that the dressing remains intact until your follow up appointment. You are also given a tube of ointment that can be used to soothe the eye. This does not need to be used immediately. The eye can become irritated – you can put some ointment in at that time if there is any discomfort.
The Surgeon will want to see you the following day and an appointment time will be allocated before you leave. Please note that postoperative appointments are at day one, week one and 3 – 4 weeks.
You may feel some discomfort as the anaesthetic subsides. Please ensure that you rest for the next 24 hours and follow your discharge instructions carefully.
Depending on the type of surgery that you have, you may be required to posture in a certain way for a defined time period. For more information on different types of surgery and the insertion of intravitreal gas, please visit the Patient Information section of our website.
The recovery nurse will explain your post-operative posturing instructions to you and is available to answer any questions you may have. If you are required to posture, there is equipment available for hire that can make this more comfortable for you. Information on the equipment available is provided in the useful links section of our website. Alternatively, please ask a member of staff for more information.
Sydney Retina Clinic and Day Surgery has been meticulously designed to ensure you receive the highest standard of care. We wish to maintain these high standards.
A member of the nursing staff will report on your progress a few hours after your operation. Feel free to ask us any questions.
We would appreciate you filling in the Patient Satisfaction Survey given to you upon discharge. Please return it to the Facility on your follow up visit. This questionnaire helps us to rectify any difficulties that you may have experienced and correct them for the benefit of future patients. It also provides us with feedback to validate what and how we do things.
We welcome your input concerning your stay with us. If you have any complaints, please contact our General Manager or Nurse Unit Manager on 02 9221 3755.
You may also contact the Health Care Complaints Commission on 1800 043 159.
165 Philip Street
Martin Place NSW 2000
Patient Discount may be available Mon-Thurs nights.
219 Kent Street
Sydney NSW 2000
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land, the Eora Nation, on which we work and pay our respects to their Elders, both past and present.
Everyone deserves the best care. We foster an inclusive culture by embracing and valuing diversity and equality for our work colleagues and patients. This philosophy extends to everyone we interact with and the communities we serve. You are valued, regardless of race, colour, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, physical abilities and age.
