Question about cataract surgery

[KS Toronado]

My eye surgeon requires a complete physical exam with a passing grade before he'll do the
cataract surgery. Is this standard procedure country wide? Heck he doesn't even put me under
for it.

To me it sounds like another expense on my part so he can cover his behind for some reason.
And if he's doing it to cover his ass, shouldn't he have to pay for it?

Are there eye surgeons that don't require a physical?

[Marie Marie]

1. Yes, it was standard for both me and Hubby (which by the way, we had them done in different states).

The physical (actually, for me it was mostly just vitals recorded on a form filled out by the doctor but, yes, you must make have an office visit for that) was good for 30 days only that is why, if you are having both eyes done, it is best to set up both appts at the same time. Hope your eyesight improves as much as mine did. Good Luck.

[montanacowboy]

2. I didn't need one

they just use valium to chill you out

[dhol82]

3. Mine required a physical clearance as well as an additional cardiac clearance.

Medicare covered it.
They want to make sure nothing happens that they can’t deal with.

[greatauntoftriplets]

4. Mine didn't require a physical.

I have heard of that being required, and I have no idea why. It's such a simple procedure. I was awake through both of my cataract procedures because the Versed doesn't work on me.

[stillcool]

5. my sister just had hers done

and she needed to get checked before each eye was done. She wasn't 'put under' but that anesthesia was not to be taken lightly with the medication she's been taking.

[rsdsharp]

6. Mine required a clearance from my primary physician, as well as an EKG.

[Tanuki]

7. My dad had to have one and it was discovered that he had

fluid on his lungs and congestive heart failure, something that had gone undetected by his primary care doc despite regular visits and complaints of increasing fatigue. The cataract surgery had to be postponed, but we were glad he had the workup!

[murielm99]

8. I had a complete physical for each eye.

I am glad the guy was thorough.

[Karadeniz]

9. A physical and specific clearances were never even mentioned by the cattle

call place which did my surgery.

[rampartd]

10. my guy wantedt a note from my primary dr

the operation is safe and seems to work

[Basso8vb]

11. Yes.

I had to do that for my cataract and vitrectomy procedures.

[CentralMass]

12. I had it done back in December and didnt require a physical.

However, I can't remember if they asked for my primary care doctor's name and checked with her. If they had you fill out a health questionnaire, your answers on that may or maynot have triggered a request for the physical. I am 64 and in reasonably good health. I take a low dosage of Lisonpril for high bp but had been dropping weight. When they took my BP on the days they did my eyes, they commented that my BP reading was the lowest that morning, however, it was pretty geriatric crowd in there. I think my systolic number was 120, normal, and my diastolic was in the 70's.
In case something goes wrong with the surgery, they want to make sure you are healthy enough to deal with any required emergency treatment.

[multigraincracker]

13. Same here, worked out great. I can see so much better out of the eye already done.

Eye doc has to cover his butt.
I'm now back to driving at night again.

[Nululu]

14. Neither myself nor my husband required it.

[ShazzieB]

15. I didn't need a full physical, just had to see my primary provider for a health clearance.

I get a routine physical and blood work every year anyway because they won't keep because renewing my prescriptions for my allergy medications otherwise. So this was just a quick check.in with the NP to make sure nothing had changed.

[pansypoo53219]

16. do it. my grandma had a stroke during hers. never got home. nursing home for years.

[nuxvomica]

17. I just needed an EKG for mine

The nurse did it in 10 minutes in the doctor's office. I also need one before a colonoscopy. It's because both procedures require sedation so its not the surgeon requiring it so much as the anesthesiologist. When I had three urgent laser surgeries for a retinal tear, I didn't need the EKG because there was no sedation. That reminds me, I need to have the usual cleanup surgery for the scarring from the cataract surgery, which I had back in 2020. That will not require an EKG because it will not involve sedation.