{"id":5993,"date":"2024-01-29T17:58:40","date_gmt":"2024-01-29T23:58:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/?p=5993"},"modified":"2024-03-26T23:04:50","modified_gmt":"2024-03-27T04:04:50","slug":"what-does-eye-dilation-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/what-does-eye-dilation-do\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does Eye Dilation Do?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eye dilation helps us diagnose certain eye diseases so they can be treated as soon as possible. The conditions detected by dilating the eyes are often asymptomatic - meaning patients don\u2019t notice any tangible or noticeable changes in their eyes until the condition is seriously progressed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While you may not have your eyes dilated during every eye exam, your eye doctor will include it as part of a complete eye exam in certain circumstances - especially as you get older.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What To Expect When Optometrists Dilate Your Eyes<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We recommend patients get a dilated eye exam every one to two years. The risk for developing certain eye conditions <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/how-to-prioritize-eye-vision-health-at-50-and-beyond\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">increases with age<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, so we may want to dilate your eyes every year after you turn 60 - especially if your family or personal medical history further increases any risk factors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More frequent eye dilation during an exam typically happens when patients:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are 60+ years old.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are of African American descent.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have a family history of glaucoma.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We may also recommend eye dilation more often than normal if you have high blood pressure or diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step One: Eye Dilation Eye Drops<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having your pupils dilated is painless. We use special drops that force the pupils to expand, allowing us a better and more detailed view of the interior anatomy of the eyeball. These drops don\u2019t feel any different than the over-the-counter eye drops you use at home.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dilating your pupils makes your eyes very light sensitive, so we dim the lights in the office and only use the light required to see into your eyes. It generally takes about 10 minutes or so for your pupils to dilate properly, after which we\u2019ll continue the exam.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step Two: Examining The Interior Of Your Eye<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider your pupil like the window shades to the room of your eye. When you close the shades, less light enters the \u201croom.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When we dilate the pupils, they open wide, and we can get a significantly better look at the inner eye's interior contours and anatomical state - including a view of your retina and the optic nerve. This means we can look for any signs of serious eye conditions, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diabetic retinopathy<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diabetes and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/healthy-lifestyle-choices-for-eye-health\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">other health conditions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> affect the vascular system of the retina. If a patient experiences symptoms of diabetic retinopathy, it\u2019s due to vascular bleeding. If significant enough, retinal vascular bleeding causes dark spots or a webbed effect in the field of vision, making it hard to read or see in detail in the distance.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Symptoms may clear up on their own if the bleeding stops, but immediate diagnosis and treatment are required to prevent diabetic retinopathy from getting worse.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Glaucoma\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Glaucoma is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness and affects approximately 1 in 50 adults. It\u2019s usually caused by increased fluid pressure inside the eye. Glaucoma has no early warning signs. Most patients do not know they have it until they visit their eye doctor. Untreated glaucoma can cause a gradual, sometimes undetectable, loss starting in your peripheral vision.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Retinal detachment<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Retinal detachment, or a detached retina, means that the light-sensitive portion of your eye (the retina) has partially or fully come away from its anchor at the back of the eye. Symptoms vary according to the severity of this detachment. However, this condition can lead to permanent vision loss without early treatment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Age-related macular degeneration<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/six-causes-of-sudden-vision-loss\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a leading cause of vision loss<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0for adults 65 years and older. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) occurs in the retina's macula area - right at the rear of the eye. It creates vision loss at the center of your gaze. So, while details will get fuzzy or disappear in the middle of your vision, you\u2019ll still have vision on the sides (peripheral).<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes Dilate The Eyes As Part Of A Treatment<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Usually, we dilate the pupils to diagnose eye disease or conditions. However, sometimes, the process is used to treat eye conditions. Examples include:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lazy eye (amblyopia)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lazy eye occurs when the eye muscles are weak and not coordinating well with the optic nerve and brain. Sometimes, we have parents use eye drops as an alternative to patches. By dilating the pupil of the strong eye, it can\u2019t work as well. This forces the weaker eye to get stronger. Because of the symptoms of eye dilation (more on that below), this is only used at home in the evenings or during weekends.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inflammatory diseases<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes, we prescribe pupil dilation as part of a treatment protocol for inflammatory diseases like iritis or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/10-reasons-you-have-red-eyes\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">anterior uveitis<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In these cases, dilation is used along with other treatments - like steroidal eye drops- to help reduce <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nei.nih.gov\/learn-about-eye-health\/eye-conditions-and-diseases\/uveitis#:~:text=Uveitis%20is%20inflammation%20inside%20your,healthy%20tissue%20in%20your%20eyes.\">eye inflammation<\/a> and strain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Side Effects Of Pupil Dilation: Tips &amp; Tricks<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While dilating the pupils is painless, it does cause light sensitivity and blurred vision. These symptoms usually fade within a few hours, but some people are more sensitive to the effects than others, and symptoms could last a bit longer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For this reason, we recommend:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bringing a dark, full-coverage<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/the-effects-of-uv-rays-on-your-eyes\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> pair of sunglasses<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0to your exam to wear afterward and minimize light sensitivity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wearing a visor or broad-brimmed hat outdoors or under bright fluorescent lights.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having someone else drive you home from the appointment. If a friend or family member can\u2019t do it, use a ridesharing app or taxi service to ensure you get home safely. Keep in mind that dilated pupils are a red flag for police officers, so you want to avoid being pulled over or getting involved in any traffic accidents.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking the rest of the day off work.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, give your eyes a break and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/prevent-eye-strain-do-you-honor-the-20-20-20-rule\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">prevent eye strain<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by minimizing screen use and reading for the rest of the day - or until the symptoms wear off completely.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are You Due For A Complete Eye Exam At Eye to Eye?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is it time to schedule your annual eye exam? <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contact us here at Eye to Eye Family Vision Care<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. We will let you know whether or not we plan to dilate your eyes so you can plan accordingly. If you forget your sunglasses or hat, no worries! We are happy to provide you with a temporary wrap-around pair for your trip home.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Eye dilation helps us diagnose certain eye diseases so they can be treated as soon as possible. The conditions detected by dilating the eyes are often asymptomatic - meaning patients don\u2019t notice any tangible or noticeable changes in their eyes until the condition is seriously progressed. While you may not have your eyes dilated during [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6055,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"What Does Eye Dilation Do? | Eye to Eye Family Vision Care","_seopress_titles_desc":"Eye dilation allows for a complete examination of the retina. The need to dilate your eyes depends on the reason for the exam, your age, and your risk of eye disease.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5993"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5993"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5993\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6057,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5993\/revisions\/6057"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6055"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5993"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5993"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5993"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}