The Eye Center

About The Eye Center 

The Eye Center, located in the east wing of The Surgery Center of Huntsville, is a state-of-the-art facility designed to promote excellence in patient care and outpatient surgery. Eye surgery is more common than you might think. More than 60 percent of men and women over the age of 65 have cataracts, and more than 2.2 million American’s over the age of 40 have a very common form of glaucoma. The good news is that modern technology has made surgical correction of the most common eye conditions relatively simple and painless. We offer four surgical suites fully equipped and staffed to assist your physician in most common surgical eye procedures including no-shot/no-stitch cataract removal, retinal detachment surgery, glaucoma pressure relief, and corneal transplant.

We have other state-of-the-art facilities, in addition to The Eye Center, at The Surgery Center. We have sixteen general operating rooms, a Breast Center procedure suite, four Endoscopy Center colonoscopy special procedure rooms and a Pain Management procedure suite. There are also two spacious waiting rooms for family and friends and an Extended Care Center for those patients who need up to 23-hours to stabilize before going home. Our staff and facilities were designed with your complete care and comfort in mind.

About Eye Surgery

Your physician has explained that you require eye surgery to correct a problem with your vision, one that if left untreated could severely impact your vision or potentially lead to blindness. It should comfort you to know that cataract surgery is now the most frequently performed surgical procedure in the United States. Cataract surgery is done through a very small incision. Even though local anesthetic agents are used to numb the eye surface and minimize your discomfort, it is possible you might experience a slight stinging sensation. However, most patients report that the procedure is painless.

Whatever eye procedure you are having performed, cataract removal, one to relieve pressure from glaucoma, a lens replacement surgery, or a procedure to correct retinal detachment, your physician will provide you with as much detail about the procedure as you will need. If you have any questions about what will be done or how you will feel after the surgery, review them with your physician prior to the procedure. It is often helpful to make a list of questions and schedule an appointment with your physician to address them all well in advance of surgery.

When your procedure is completed at The Eye Center, your physician’s assistant or a staff nurse will give you full discharge instructions, but be prepared that you may experience some blurred vision or irritation from several hours to a few days after the procedure. Generally, normal activities such as work may be resumed the next day, driving in 24-hours.

About Your Eye Surgery

Once you have checked in and completed any financial paper work, one of our registered nurses will escort you to a procedure room and prepare you for your surgery. You can expect the following things to happen:

• We will review your medical history.
• We will give you instructions about your surgery.
• We will ask you to sign your Operative Permit.

We do everything we can to get you in and out as fast as possible, but once you are in our care, you will be there for the full amount of time required to ensure an excellent outcome.

Keep in mind that it is your doctor who sets your appointment time and that you may have a longer than expected wait before your surgery. It is not possible to predict exactly how long a procedure will take and patient care remains our first priority. Please remember that you will be given that same consideration.

Once you are prepared and we are ready to begin your procedure, you will be moved into one of our specialized eye surgery suites. These rooms are designed for ease of use by the medical team. You may find them to be cool. Each suite is temperature controlled to establish ideal conditions for surgical procedures.

We will respect your dignity as we work to ensure that your eye surgery is conducted promptly, accurately and safely. When the procedure is complete, you will be moved into a post-op area. An attending nurse will monitor you until your vital signs are stable and your doctor says you are ready to leave.

Your family should be available for the Post-Op conference.

The Surgery Center, to update your family. It is your family's responsibility to be available for this conference.

Following Your Eye Surgery

Remember that you have had a surgical procedure and follow your discharge orders faithfully. Be sure to follow any specific instructions given to you by your physician, as well as the following general guidelines, upon your release from The Eye Center:

• You must have someone drive you home from The Eye Center.
• Avoid strenuous exercise or activities for at least 24 hours after your procedure.
• If you are experiencing discomfort, take Tylenol, Aleve or ibuprofen as directed, or whatever your physician has prescribed for pain.
• Do not take aspirin for 48-hours following your procedure to minimize the risk of bleeding.
• If you have excessive pain, bleeding or fever, contact your physician immediately.
• Be sure to keep your follow-up appointment with your physician the next day.

Remember, it is very likely that you will have additional questions once you get home. Feel free to call your physician’s office or have your questions ready for your follow-up appointment the next day. If you have any questions after you have left The Eye Center, you must call your physician for answers. If you have any serious complications, call 911 or go to the emergency room at the hospital of your choice immediately. Do not call or return to The Surgery Center because we do not have staff physicians, nor are we equipped to provide additional treatment or medical care.