Anesthesia Department

You can rest assured that our quality anesthesia service providers will be available for any anesthesia care needs during your eye surgery stay by our CRNA’s (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists). The Anesthetists at Amarillo Cataract & Eye Surgery Center now strictly specialize in eye surgery with a combined 70 years of experience in the field of anesthesia. The type of anesthesia care chosen for the patient will meet the needs of both the patient and surgical requirements.

Before You Arrive

Nothing Taken by Mouth

It is imperative that you DO NOT drink or eat anything after midnight before the scheduled surgery or otherwise surgery may be canceled. There may be special considerations for some patients.

Medications

Medications should be taken as usual with a small sip of water only. The exception to that is blood thinners which should be avoided unless advised by the surgeon and/or your health care provider who prescribed the medication.

Diabetics

Insulin and other diabetic medications should be withheld unless we specifically advise other dosing. Always ask to speak with an anesthesia provider if you have any questions

Surgical Anesthesia Terms

Topical Anesthesia

This is a local anesthetic that is simply applied by drops to the surface of the eye to numb it. The surgeon may also apply additional anesthetic eye drops immediately prior to the beginning of the surgery. This is a very good technique and is encouraged for all who can tolerate some minor eye discomfort and is commonly used for cataract surgery.

Intravenous (IV) sedation

Very often, we use a very small dose of sedative such as midazolam (Versed). This sedation is minimal in order for patients to be responsive to instructions during surgery.

Ocular Nerve Block

Following IV sedation, some surgeries require an injection of numbing medications or local anesthetics to be administered around the eye in order to numb the eye more heavily than that of a topical anesthetic. This technique is commonly used for retina, glaucoma, corneal, plastic and some cataract surgeries.

General Anesthesia

General Anesthesia, where patients are put to sleep and a machine is required for us to breathe for them, is used sparingly since the risks for complications can increase with this method. However, we require that most children or patients with special needs be given a general anesthetic so that their surgery can be done in a more controlled, safe environment. Our goal is to provide safe, positive surgical outcomes for all of our patients with the least amount of discomfort or worry. We are usually available for consult during business hours if you would like to speak with one of us regarding your surgery. Thank you, in advance for allowing us to participate in your healthcare anesthesia needs.

Patients Scheduled for Surgery
Arrival / Check-In for Surgery
Pre-Operative Patient Care Area
Discharge / Post-Operative Area
Laser
Anesthesia

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