Since 2020, Halifax Vision Surgical Centre has pioneered advancements in public cataract surgeries with the Nova Scotia Health Authority by lowering surgical wait times, improving patient accessibility, and providing efficient operating room space for public ophthalmologists. HVSC was the first surgical clinic in Atlantic Canada to host public cataract surgeries and has completed over 15,000 operations on-site. HVSC hosted 5341 cataract operations in 2024 alone. Over 75% of the public cataract surgeries in Nova Scotia’s Central Zone have been performed at Halifax Vision Surgical Centre since the inception of the clinic’s contract.
Public patients are scheduled at HVSC at their surgeon’s discretion. All pre- and post-operative appointments with these surgeons’ offices are made outside of HVSC.
On the day of surgery, patients check-in at Suite 356B (Halifax Vision Surgical Centre). Please ensure the patient has the following on the day of surgery:
- Their provincial health card (ex. MSI)
- A reliable driver post-operatively
- A payment method for any associated lens cost. Please note that we do not accept AMEX or personal cheques
- An updated list of medications
- Sunglasses! (they’ll appreciate this post-operatively)
Once checked-in, the patient is brought back to the pre-operative area to receive numerous dilating drops from one of our highly-trained ophthalmic technicians. These drops ensure that the pupil is large enough for the surgeon to safely perform cataract surgery with a wide view of the natural lens.
In the pre-operative area, the ophthalmic technician reviews the patient’s health history, address any patient concerns, provide post-operative education, and answer any patient/family questions. The same technician will contact the patient’s driver post-operatively.
Please note that general anesthesia is not available at Halifax Vision Surgical Centre. An oral sedative called Ativan (lorazepam) is offered to patients. If you have any concerns, please contact your ophthalmologist’s office.
All post-operative appointments and follow-ups are held outside of HVSC and are determined by your doctor’s office. Contact your ophthalmologist’s office to confirm that your surgical appointment is at HVSC.