When you undergo an eye exam, it's not uncommon for you to have your eyes dilated as part of the testing process. This is done so that your eye doctor can get a good look inside your eye in order to spot and diagnose any potential problems. Many eye diseases can be detected at an early stage through this examination, even when no other symptoms are apparent. This is a very important step in monitoring your eye health.
Why It Helps to Have Your Eyes Dilated
Your iris controls the amount of light entering your eye by narrowing or widening the dark pupil at its center. In order for your doctor to conduct a thorough examination, he or she will need to shine a light into your eye without the iris constricting the pupil as it normally would; this is where having your eyes dilated will be extremely helpful.
Special eye drops will be used to enlarge the pupils of your eyes so that they can become fully dilated and make it easier for your doctor to see the interior components of your eye, including your lens, retina, and optical nerve. The doctor can then look carefully for any early signs of conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, high blood pressure, and even infectious diseases.
At Woodhams, an optical coherence tomography (OCT) exam can also be performed once your eyes are fully dilated. This exam generates a cross-sectional image of the back of your eye and gives your doctor an additional, sophisticated diagnostic tool to fully assess your eye health.
How Often Should You Have Your Eyes Dilated?
Because of the opportunity for early detection that full dilation provides, it is important to have it done regularly. It may not be necessary at every eye exam, but it should always be done at an initial exam. Before dilating your eyes, your doctor will take into account your age, any history or risk of eye diseases, and the reason you sought out the exam—for example as a preoperative consultation for Prelex™ or LASIK surgery.
Here are three tips to keep in mind when you come for an eye exam and are likely to have your eyes dilated:
- Allow some time. The dilating drops may take 20 to 30 minutes to work before the exam can proceed, so schedule sufficient time in your day for your appointment; your vision is worth it!
- Bring sunglasses. Your eyes may remain sensitive to light for at least several hours afterward. Sunglasses will help minimize any glare and light sensitivity after you leave the clinic.
- Your close up vision may be blurry for a while after you have your eyes dilated. We can use reversal drops upon request to help bring your pupils back to more normal size. If you have experienced difficulty with driving after dilation, you may want to bring a driver.
