Following signing of your consent, you will be escorted to a "holding area", where you will may change into a gown, put on a special bonnet, and don a pair of paper booties over your shoes.
While the staff should already have a copy of your medical orders, be sure to discuss any unusual medical requirements, including any allergies to medicines, experiences with abnormal bleeding, or cardiopulmonary limitations.
Once your pusle and blood pressure are recorded, you will receive any oral sedation or, if IV sedation is to be used, an intravenous line will be inserted into a vein in your arm.
In the operating room, your surgeon will usually be accompanied by several staff members and, if intravenous medications are to be used, an anesthesiologist.
You will be positioned on an operating table. Your face will be cleansed and sterile surgical drapes will cover all but your brows, nose, and eyes. The lights will seem too bright. You may hear your surgeon and staff talking. A blood pressure cuff around your arm will inflate periodically.
If you remain awake during surgery, you will be asked to keep your eyes closed except at times when your surgeon may wish to inspect the effects of work in progress.
If surgery is performed under local anesthesia with sedation, you may feel pressure throughout the operation but very little discomfort. If you do feel more, alert your surgeon.
Once your surgery is over, the staff will clean your face and raise you up part way. Your eyelids may be covered with moist gauze.
Bandages are not routinely applied. Dark sunglasses are protective. A staff member will review instructions with you and your driver.
On the drive home, recline your seat back and keep your eyes closed. If you were given an cold compress, apply it over a gauze pad.
If you prefer to keep your eyes open, expect your vision will seem slightly blurry and your blinking to be weak.
