Before surgery

  • Yes. You must not eat or drink for 6 hours before surgery.

    For morning surgery, this typically means fasting from midnight the night before.

    For afternoon surgery, you can have an early breakfast, and then nothing to eat from 6:30am onwards.

    Plain water (with nothing added!) is okay until 2 hours before your surgery.

    You should take your regular tablets with a small sip of water.

    • List of your regular medications

    • Medicare Card

    • Private Health Insurance Card/Details

    • DVA or Pension Card (if applicable)

    • Payment for your health fund excess

    • Contact details (name, address, and phone number) of your regular GP

  • Brisbane Day Surgery

    Chermside Day Hospital

At the hospital

  • You will be at the hospital for approximately half a day. This includes the admission process, preparation for surgery, the procedure, and routine monitoring before discharge.

  • You will need a responsible adult to accompany you home from the hospital. This is a hospital requirement for all procedures with sedation, and your procedure will be cancelled if you do not have someone to pick you up.

    You may wish to have someone with you before the operation, though this is not mandatory.

  • It is very rare to have a full general anaesthetic for eye surgery. Most eye surgery is performed with sedation (relaxing medicine through an IV) and an ‘eye block’ (local anaesthetic next to the eye). This means the eye is asleep, but you will have some awareness.

    You will not feel pain during the surgery, and you will not see the surgery happening.

    It is very common to feel anxious about having eye surgery. Please tell Dr Bennett your concerns, and you will work out a plan together.

  • All of Dr Bennett’s operations are ‘day surgery’ – you will be discharged on the day of the procedure, once you have recovered from the anaesthetic.

    All patients having retinal surgery will be reviewed the day after surgery, in the clinic. You will be given an appointment time.

Medical disclaimer: This content is general in nature and intended only for patients of Dr Bennett. It is not to be taken as independent medical advice. All readers of this content must consult their own eye care professional. The authors of this content are not responsible for any harm that may arise in relation to the information presented here.