Surgery is considered for certain eye conditions or when other treatments have not been successful. We understand any surgery can be a stressful experience for you and your child, and will do all we can to answer your questions and ease your anxiety.

Pre-surgery evaluation

The evaluation of any child for eye surgery requires a team approach, with input from specialists in ophthalmology, general surgery and anesthesia – and, of course, input from patients and families. CHOP’s Division of Ophthalmology has extensive experience performing eye surgery in children of all ages and with all types of eye conditions.

Scheduling your child’s surgery

Once your child’s clinical team and your family have agreed eye surgery is the best option to treat your child’s condition, one of our surgical scheduling coordinators contact you to identify a date and location for your child’s surgery.

Surgery timing will depend on a number of factors including:

• What procedure your child needs
• How quickly your child needs to have the procedure
• The surgeon’s schedule
• Whether the procedure will be performed at our Main Campus or at one of CHOP’s ambulatory surgery centers

If you need to schedule your child’s surgery or postpone an already-scheduled surgery, please call our surgical scheduling office between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 215-590-0428. 

If you have general questions about eye surgery, please call the Division of Ophthalmology at 215-590-2791.

Referrals and insurance

You will need to obtain any necessary referrals from your child’s primary care physician. CHOP will obtain pre-certification for the procedure from your insurance company. Contact a member of your child's medical team with any questions, or visit CHOP’s billing and insurance section for more information about the financial matters related to your child’s care.

Preparing your child for surgery

CHOP’s Guide to Your Child's Surgery has helpful information about preparing your child for her surgical procedure, including information about anesthesia and rules for eating and drinking before the procedure.

Your child’s care team will provide specific instructions for your child’s procedure, so be sure to follow those instructions closely and ask your child’s medical team if you have any questions.

After your child’s procedure

If you have any questions, always ask a member of your child's care team for help!

Please call the doctor if your child has:

• Fever above 101.5° F by mouth or above 102.5°F rectally
• Difficulty going to the bathroom (urinating)
• Continued vomiting the day after surgery, cannot keep fluids down
• Infection at the surgery site, specifically green or yellow drainage from the incision, foul odor
• Bleeding that does not stop with gentle pressure
• Bleeding that comes out beyond the edges of the dressing
• Pain not relieved by pain medication