Our Process

• Your optometrist faxes a referral to Dr. Lane’s office (705-320-8082)
• You will receive 2 appointments
• Appointment #1 (Testing and counselling) - you will have several tests done by one of Dr. Lane's technicians, and a cataract surgery counselor will review all of your options for cataract surgery (Hospital vs. Private Centre, Implant Choices)
• Appointment #2 (Consult with Dr. Lane) - Dr. Lane will examine your eyes, and answer any questions you may have. He will discuss the risks and benefits of the procedure with you. A date for the surgery will be given to you on this day.
• You will sign a consent form for surgery.
• Your family doctor will have to fax a list of current medication and medical problems to our office ("CPP" continuing patient profile).

Pre-Operative Instructions for Cataract Surgery Patients

1. Do not eat or drink after midnight prior to your cataract surgery. Your surgery may be cancelled if you eat or drink the morning of the procedure.
2. You may take your regular medications the morning of surgery with a sip of water. If you are diabetic, do not take your diabetic pills prior to your surgery. (if you take insulin, your family doctor will advise you on the dose for the day of surgery) Check your blood sugar on the morning of surgery.
3. You must have someone to drive you to the hospital and take you home. 
4. Leave all your valuables at home. Do not wear makeup.
5. Wear a button-up shirt, as the anesthetist will need to put ECG leads on your chest. You will keep all your clothes on for the surgery.
6. Notify Dr. Lane's office if you have a cough, cold, sore throat or fever before your surgery.

• You should not eat or drink after midnight before the day of surgery.
• You may take all your medications on the morning of surgery with a small sip of water.
• You come to one of 2 locations on the day of surgery:
  • LASIK CATARACT CENTRE of you are having REFRACTIVE CATARACT SURGERY
  • ROSS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL if you are having TRADITIONAL SURGERY
• A nurse will make sure your paper work is in order and will prepare you for surgery.
• An anaesthetist will talk to you before the procedure to review your medications and general health. You will be given intravenous relaxing medicines to make you feel relaxed during the procedure. There is no pain.
• After the surgery, you will be taken to the recovery room for about 5-10 mins.
• RMH Patients
  Then you will be given a snack while someone explains the "do's & dont's". You will go back to Dr.Lane's office to have your eye checked immediately after leaving the hospital. At Dr. Lane's office,  you will be given an appointment to see Dr. Lane the following week.
• LCC Patients
  Then you will be given a snack while someone explains the "do's & dont's".
  Your eye will be checked onsite, and you will be free to go home. You will be given an appointment to see Dr. Lane the following week.

In the morning, you take off the eye shield and start the drops yourself.

• Vigamox (moxifloxacin) 4x/day until next appointment
• Pred Forte 1% (prednisolone) every 2 hrs while awake until next appointment

Discharge Instructions for Cataract Patients

General Post-Operative Instructions

1. It is our wish that your recovery be as comfortable as possible. It is for this purpose that we offer the following advice:
2. You should not be left alone for several hours upon returning home.
3. You should not drive a car or operate machinery, until Dr. Lane states that you can.
4. You should limit activity requiring full concentration power, e.g. making significant personal or business decisions, since full mental alertness may not return for several hours.
5. You should not drink any alcoholic beverages for at least 24 hours following your procedure since alcohol may influence the effects of the drugs which have been given.
6. You should eat lightly for the first meal following your procedure.
7. You should avoid strenuous activity and do not bump your eye.
8. If you feel unwell or are concerned for any reason about your condition, please contact Dr. Lane's office or go to the Emergency Department of the Hospital.

Dr. Lane's Directions For Patients After Eye Surgery

1. Do not lift more than 20lbs. for 1 week.
2. If the light is uncomfortable, wear dark glasses, with or without your own glasses.
3. If possible have someone else put the medication in your eye(s). It is best done with you lying down on your back. Put two drops between the eyelids, close to the nose. Open your eyes, and the drops will run in themselves. Do not pull on the eyelids. Dab gently with a tissue around the eye.
4. If you use glaucoma drops, start them in the operated eye on the same day as surgery with a FRESH BOTTLE.
5. If you are having discomfort within 24 hours of surgery, you may take a Tylenol tablet every 4 hours (if you are not allergic to Tylenol).
6. You can wash your hair one day after the surgery, but be careful not to allow soap into the operated eye.
7. It is best to keep your eyes closed as much as possible for the first 12 hours after surgery.

Dr. Lane will examine your eye at 1 week after surgery, and will change the eye drops as follows:

• STOP VIGAMOX
• PREDNISOLONE 1% 
  • 4x/day x 1 week
  • 3x/day x 1 week
  • 2x/day x 1 week
  • 1x/day x 1 week, then STOP

Your optometrist will check your eyes and prescribe new glasses.

It is important to maintain regular follow up appointments with your optometrist, as people can develop eye diseases (like glaucoma) without any symptoms.

Modern cataract surgery methods allow the implant to rest in the clear bag that used to hold your cataract (called the “capsular bag”).

Sometimes the cataract leaves a “haze” on this bag, which can be cleared easily with a laser. This is especially common in younger people with cataracts who tend to have a frosting on the back of their cataract (posterior subcapsular cataract).

Also, even if the capsular bag is initially clear, with time, it can become hazy over months or years.

The laser is done at Dr. Lane's office. There are no restrictions before the laser and no restrictions after the laser. The laser takes about 30 seconds to 1 minute to perform. It is painless.