Many patients often wonder whether eye drops that dilate, that is, widen the pupil, will be used during an eye examination and how long it will take for the drops to wear off. We use drops for two purposes.
One is to enable the doctor to get a better view of the inner part of the eye for the detection of eye diseases such as diabetic eye disease, glaucoma and many retinal problems. And, two, to paralyze the focusing muscle of the eye. Some doctors dilate the eyes routinely and, in fact, this practice is becoming the standard of care. It may be necessary to use drops in older patients with very small pupils, especially if eye disease is suspected to be present. In children, who often have trouble focusing at the required distances, we use these drops if we suspect an unusual refractive problem. If your eyes are dilated as part of your eye examination, they would most likely return to normal by the next morning depending on what type of eye drop was used. Stronger eye drops require a longer time to wear off. In the meantime, your eyes will be extremely sensitive to light and you will be unable to read or to focus at near for some hours. Your doctor will recommend that you wear sunglasses to help with any excessive glare. Remember that the dilated eye examination provides more detail than just looking into the eye normally.
“Remember to keep an eye on your eyes”
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