Pupil dilation is an important part of regular eye exams, allowing optometrists to see into the back of the eye and detect potential health problems early. It is recommended for healthy adults to have an eye exam with pupil dilation every one to two years. Bring sunglasses and consider having someone else drive you to the appointment due to temporary vision impairment.
Getting regular eye exams is an important way to monitor your optical and general health. Part of a comprehensive eye exam is pupil dilation, which is accomplished by putting eye drops into the eye that will force the pupil to stay open, even in bright light. The procedure isn’t uncomfortable, but it does mean a waste of part of your day, as the drops take about 30 minutes to work, and you’ll have difficulty seeing for about an hour after the exam, until the drops stop working. Some patients wonder whether or not they need pupil dilation with every eye exam.
Pupil dilation is extremely important, as it allows the optician to see into the back of the eye. During a regular eye exam, the optometrist will use a bright light and loupe to look into the eye, inspecting the health of the cornea, iris, and lens of the eye. However, bright light causes the pupil to constrict, making it difficult for the optometrist to see the back of the eye. After your regular eye exam is complete, your eye doctor dilates your pupils so they can fully check your optical health.
The back of the eye houses the retina, optic nerve, and important blood vessels. When your pupils are open, the optician will be able to see these parts of the eye clearly and evaluate them. The procedure can reveal general health problems such as high blood pressure and can also detect signs of glaucoma and cataracts early. For these reasons, optometrists ask their patients to have the procedure at every eye examination, despite the discomfort, because they would rather catch serious health problems early.
Healthy adults should have an eye exam, along with pupil dilation, every one to two years, or more frequently as recommended by an optometrist. People who are at high risk of developing optical conditions may need to have more frequent eye exams. In any case, remember to bring a pair of sunglasses with you for the eye examination, so that the bright external light does not harm your eyes after the exam. The optician’s office also usually has several pairs of disposable sunglasses, in case you forget. Because you may feel disoriented after your pupil dilates, you may also want to consider asking someone else to drive you to your eye appointment or accompany you on public transportation.
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