WHAT DO I BRING TO MY APPOINTMENT?
Please bring the following to your appointment:
A valid health card if you do not have an updated, valid health card at the time of your visit, you will be charged privately for the visit and it will be your responsibility to claim subsequent reimbursement from OHIP.
An up to date list of your medications and your pharmacy information and any eye drops you are taking.
A translator if you do not speak English.
A friend, family member or Power of Attorney if you are unable to make informed decisions for yourself. To reduce crowding, only one (1) person may accompany the patient during their appointment.
Your most up-to-date prescription glasses if you are a contact lens wearer, please do not wear your contacts to your appointment.
A pair of sunglasses as your eyes may be temporarily sensitive to sunlight after your eye exam
A face mask as they are recommended in our facility. Please note that we are unable to provide face masks or gloves to patients.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT DURING MY APPOINTMENT?
Your appointment will be divided over two visits: a pre-testing visit with the ophthalmic technician, and a consultation with the doctor. Please check in with the clinic reception 15 minutes prior to your appointment time. Kindly note that if you arrive more than 15 minutes early, you will be asked to wait outside the clinic premises until we are ready to accommodate you. Additionally, we suggest you refer to our office policies regarding missed appointments and late shows prior to your consultation.
Pre-Testing & Diagnostics
- At the pre-testing visit, a complete medical and ophthalmological history will be taken. Please bring your updated medication list to facilitate this process.
- The ophthalmic technician will measure your vision, eye pressure, corneal thickness, and perform relevant diagnostic tests as requested by the doctor.
- At the end of this visit, you may be given a mini set of dilating drops to use at home prior to your consultation visit with the doctor; this step prepares for you for the physician consultation visit and allows you to reduce wait time at the office.
- If you are returning for a cataract consultation, you may also be given lubricating drops to use for one week prior to your consultation; this allows us to ensure we obtain the most accurate results when we take your measurements for surgery.
- Patients who are candidates for cataract surgery will be provided some educational material and videos in preparation for consultation with Dr Bedi; this is to help you learn about your eye health further and gather questions for your surgeon.
Consultation with Physician
- Your doctor will review your images, testing, and reports with you to formulate a diagnosis and create a mutually agreed upon management plan.
- To provide our patients a safe and healthy clinic environment, we limit the number of visitors in the waiting area. We request that only the patient be seated in the waiting lounge and ask any accompanying caregivers to wait outside the office. However, if you need the presence of a caregiver or translator to help you make an informed decision, please advise us of this beforehand so we can make accommodations accordingly.
Same Day Testing: Please inform us if you travel from a distance to see us, or face logistical challenges with coming for two separate appointments. We will do our best to accommodate you so that pre-testing with the technician and consultation with the doctor are scheduled on the same day. Please be informed that scheduling both appointments on the same day will result in longer than usual total appointment time. Kindly allow up to 3-4 hours total for your same day consult.
Wait times: While we respect your time and strive to stay on schedule with our appointments, we do provide emergency on call services for the Halton and Peel region. As such, wait times may vary. Please plan for up to 2 hrs total for your visit. We appreciate your patience and understanding in this regard.
Dilation: You may require a dilated eye exam to examine the optic nerve and the retina. Dilation involves the use of eyedrops to widen your pupils, which may temporarily blur your vision and make you sensitive to light for several hours after your examination. Please note the following recommendations for your dilated eye exam:
- On average, the effect of dilation drops lasts from 4 to 6 hours.
- It is important to refrain from driving and performing precision work with tools when your vision is blurred from dilation.
- We suggest bringing a pair of sunglasses to your visit.
- We strongly recommend you bring someone with you to drive you home to be safe.
- If you decline a required dilation at your visit, please note that your ocular exam will be incomplete and this will be documented in your chart.
APPOINTMENTS & PATIENT COMMUNICATION
Please note that we experience a high volume of calls every day and are unable to answer all calls immediately. We apologize for this inconvenience.
Please note that we are unable to provide service outside of our regular business hours. As such, phone calls will be answered in priority sequence within 2 to 5 business days. If you are leaving us a voice mail, please leave us a clear message with your full name and a call back phone number.
For your convenience, we suggest emailing us at [email protected] for any appointment rescheduling or cancellation related concerns.
If you have an emergency, please visit your closest hospital emergency department or urgent care clinic or dial 9-1-1.
MISSED APPOINTMENTS & CANCELLATION FEES
Appointment Changes: Any changes to existing appointments requires 48-hours notice before your scheduled visit. With your prompt notification of any changes, we can offer that appointment slot to another patient on the waitlist and continue to serve the needs of our community. Failing to provide a 48-hour notice will result in a missed visit fee in the amount of $75.00.
Late Shows: If you are running late to your appointment, we ask that you notify us as soon as possible. If you are late by more than 15 minutes, your appointment will be marked as “no show”. While we will try our best to accommodate late shows on the same day, you will be asked to wait till the end of the other scheduled appointments for the day or may have to reschedule your visit.
No Shows: If you must cancel an appointment, please give us a 48-hours notice so that we may offer your appointment time to another patient. Failing to cancel an appointment will result in a missed visit fee in the amount of $75.00.
URGENT VISITS & AFTER-HOURS EMERGENCIES
All referrals are triaged according to the level of medical severity and responded to within 24 – 48 business hours. Your referring provider will be notified of the appointment and a consult letter will be sent to their office after your visit.
Please note that the office is closed outside of our business hours and we do not have someone on site to answer phone calls. If you have an emergency, please visit your closest hospital emergency department or urgent care clinic.
If you would like to leave us a message, your call will be returned within 24 to 48 business hours. Please leave us a clear message with your full name and a return phone number to allow the provider to return your call.
PRE-OPERATIVE CARE & SURGERY DAY
All patients undergoing surgery with us will be provided a patient information package. We strongly encourage patients to review the instructions provided in this package in detail before their surgery.
General principals for pre-op care:
- For patients doing cataract surgery, start your prescribed eye drops in the operated eye 3 days before your surgery. Please refer to the eye drop schedule in your surgery package for more details. If you take any glaucoma drops regularly, continue all drops up to and including the morning of surgery.
- For patients doing eyelid surgery, please fill the prescription provided to you at the time of booking 1-2 days before your surgery date. Your pharmacist will provide you instructions on how to use the prescription medication.
- Do not eat or drink after midnight prior to your surgery. If you eat or drink during the morning prior to your surgery, your surgery will be cancelled and a cancellation fee will apply.
- Do not smoke the day before and for 2-3 days after your surgery.
On the day of surgery (at the hospital):
- Please check in at Surgical Services, Ambulatory Procedures Unit on the 2nd Floor, CENTRAL elevators – 2 hours prior to your surgery time.
- Do not eat or drink after midnight prior to your surgery. Except for diabetes medication and insulin, please take your usual medication with small sips of water. Do not take diabetes pills/insulin until after your surgery.
- Bring your Cataract Surgery Envelope, your patient information package and your eyedrops in a clear Ziploc bag.
- Wear loose fitting clothing that is not of significant value.
- Do not wear make-up, nail polish, jewelry, contact lenses, perfume, cologne, or scented personal products.
- Bring a family member or friend with you to the hospital.
On the day of surgery (at BEOS):
Please refer to the instructions provided to you in your patient information package.
OFFICE POLICIES
Communication Policy
Communication is preferentially maintained via email. Your appointment details and reminders will be sent to the email you provide to us. Please ensure that your information is up to date on our patient chart.
Please refer to the above sections for detailed information regarding our appointment policies and procedures.
We provide service in English, Hindi & Punjabi. Please indicate your preference to our reception staff upon arrival.
If your primary language is not mentioned above and you are unable to speak or comprehend English, please bring a family member or friend who can translate on your behalf. No decisions regarding treatment or surgery will be made unless the physician is sure you understand the treatment and its potential risks/benefits. If you show up without a translator, you will be rescheduled for assessment on another day when you have someone accompanying you.
Civility and Respect Policy
Benoe Eye & Oculoplastic Surgeons is strongly committed to creating a culture of respect and civility that is free of harassment. Abuse of any kind is not tolerated at our premises. While we understand that at times you may be anxious about your health or frustrated about the health care process, this is not a reason for inappropriate or abusive behaviour toward the employees or physicians at the clinic.
Any patient who exhibits abusive behaviour or is verbally or physically aggressive to any staff member will be discharged from the clinic immediately as per CPSO guidelines and will be asked to find care elsewhere. A letter will be sent to your referring doctor indicating the reason for termination of care at our facility.
COVID-19 POLICY
In view of the current public health threat from COVID, we have made changes to our practice based on guidelines from the Ontario Medical Association and the Ontario government.
Your health is of utmost importance to us. In order to keep our patients and staff safe, we have implemented the following changes:
- Please inform the receptionist if you have any symptoms of fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, if you have traveled anywhere in the last 14 days or if you have recently come into contact with anyone who is known COVID positive.
- You may be asked to fill out an infectious disease survey and provide proof of vaccination at the time of check-in. We appreciate your cooperation in this matter.
- Face masks are mandatory. Please note that we are unable to provide face masks or gloves to patients.
- Only the patient will be allowed to be seated in the waiting area. We will make reasonable accommodation for one caregiver to join the patient for their visit on a case-by-case basis.
- If you arrive more than 15 minutes early, you will be asked to wait outside the clinic premises until we are ready to accommodate you.