Pre-surgical Information

Information For Patients Undergoing Surgery

• Important Phone Numbers
• Schedule Date of Surgery
• Obtain Insurance Authorization, If Necessary
• Schedule and Obtain Clearance For Surgery With Your Primary Care Physician
• Pre-surgical Evaluation or Pre Admission Testing (PAT)
• Day Before Surgery
• Day of Surgery
• Post Operative Issues

The presurgical process will be coordinated by Ms. Lisa Massucci, Ms. Belgcia Bertoli and Ms. Jean Lewis,NP. If you have any questions or problems concerning your surgery please call 631.444.4638 or 631.444.4133.

Scheduling A Date For Elective Surgery

Once you and your physician have decided that you will need eye surgery, our surgical coordinator will be notified. For elective surgery, we will be calling you within 1-2 weeks to schedule a convenient date for surgery. If you do not hear from us within 2 weeks please call 631.444.4638 or 631.444.4133. Needless to say if this is an emergency our staff will make immediate arrangements.

Obtain Insurance Authorization, If Necessary

Our surgical coordinators, will obtain the necessary insurance authorization prior to surgery. They will call you if they have any insurance difficulties.

Schedule and Obtain Clearance for Surgery With Your Primary Care Physician

• You will need a pre-surgical evaluation before surgery. While we will perform our own pre-surgical evaluation (see PAT below), you may need to schedule an appointment with your primary care physician for pre surgical evaluation and clearance particularly if you have any medical problems. Your eye doctor will advise on the need to see your primary.
• If you do not have a primary care physician we can refer you to a Stony Brook physician in Primary care.
• If your primary needs to be involved in clearance, we will need a written report of your primary physician's findings prior to surgery.
• If you need assistance in obtaining this clearance, our surgical coordinator can assist you. Please have your primary care physician fax the results of this evaluation to the attention of Ms. Jean Lewis (Nurse practitioner) 631-444-1543 or Ms. Lisa Massucci  631-444-4651 or Ms. Belgcia Bertoli 631-638-4255 so that your eye doctor can review the results and include the report in the medical record.

Presurgical Evaluation or Pre Admission Testing (PAT)

• Our office will call to make arrangements for you to come in 1-2 weeks before surgery in order to perform an examination, discuss and obtain an informed consent and review your medical problems. You will be asked to see the nurse practitioner at Tech Park (33 Research Way). She will complete a history and physical examination and make sure that there are no contraindications for surgery. Please bring a list of all your medications and dosages.  You do not need to fast for this appointment. You will also see your doctor who will explain the benefits and risks of the procedure again.
• If you take aspirin or other blood thinners (e.g. Aspirin, Plavix, Coumadin), you may need to stop 10 days before surgery. Check with your doctor for instructions.
• After seeing the Nurse Practitioner, you will need to go to the Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) for further testing and/or a consultation with the anesthesiologist.  (Please see directions). If you are having cataract surgery alone, you will not need to go to the ASC.

The Day Before Surgery

• You will be called the evening before surgery to confirm or change the time you are to report to the ambulatory surgery unit. If you do not hear from the hospital by late afternoon or early evening, please call Admissions at 631.444.2590 to confirm your surgery and obtain information about arrival time.
• If your physical condition changes (you develop a cold, fever, etc.), call your physician (see phone numbers above).
• Eat a light dinner that will not upset your stomach.
• Do not eat or drink anything after midnight or the morning of surgery.While you may rinse your mouth and brush your teeth, you should not drink coffee, juice, water, gum or hard candy. Stomach contents during sedation or general anesthesia may result in serious complications. Eating prior to surgery may result in cancellation of the case.
• Do not drink any alcoholic beverage for 24 hours before or after your operation.

Day of Surgery

• You may bathe or shower on the morning of surgery.
• You should have nothing to eat or drink on the day of surgery.
• A responsible adult must accompany you to the hospital and come to the ASU with you. It will be unsafe for you to drive a car home. If such a person is not with you when you arrive, your operation will be canceled.
• Be sure to confirm with your doctor or our surgical coordinator the location of your surgery, that is whether it will take place in the Ambulatory Surgery Center or in University Hospital. Please see directions for ASC, and note that there is free parking.  
• If your surgery is in the hospital, you will park in the garage.  You will be given a voucher for free parking the day of surgery for one vehicle per patient.
• Do not wear makeup, fingernail polish, perfume, hairpins, combs or clasps.
• All removable dentures or bridges, contact lenses and glasses must be removed before going to the Operating Room.
• Do not wear any jewelry, earrings, watches, medals, or rings to the hospital.
• Wear low healed shoes and loose comfortable clothing.
• Because of the limited size of the ASU, there should be one adult accompanying you on the day of surgery. Children are not permitted in the ASU unless they are undergoing surgery.
• If you have any questions, please call the Ambulatory Surgery Center at 444-9400 or Pre-Surgical Admission at 444-1002.

After Surgery

• Following surgery in the ASU, you will be taken to a recovery area where you will be watched carefully until you are able to be discharged home.
• Following surgery in the inpatient operating room you will be taken to recovery and then sent upstairs to on of the hospital floor until discharge. Your family will be notified which floor.
• You will be assisted in dressing and checked before discharge.
• You will be given post op instructions, medications and follow-up appointment.
• A nurse from the Ambulatory Surgery Unit may call you the day after surgery to ask you how you are feeling and to answer questions about your surgery.
• If you have any problems or questions please contact our service by calling 631.444.4090 after hours and during weekday working hours call 631.444.4090.