What are dilating eyedrops?
Dilating eyedrops (called mydriatics) are used to dilate, or enlarge, the pupils of your eyes so that Dr. Bogart can see the inside of your eye in detail.
Dilating drops work by temporarily paralyzing the muscle that makes the pupil smaller; or by stimulating the muscle that makes the iris (the colored part of the eye) widen, preventing the pupil from adjusting for focus (called accommodation).
Why do we dilate your eyes for exams?
With your pupils dilated, Dr. Bogart can use special instruments to see the eye's entire lens, which focuses light onto the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue that lines the back of your eye. The retina itself also can be seen when your eyes are dilated, as well as the optic nerve, which sends signals from the retina to your brain where they are interpreted as images.
In addition to exams, dilating eyedrops are used for a variety of purposes. For some types of eye surgery, Dr. Bogart will need to dilate your eyes. It is important to use dilating drops to keep the pupil wide so that scar tissue will not form. Your eyes may also be dilated to relax your lens's focusing ability/muscles so that your eye doctor can measure accurately for your glasses prescription.
Dilating drops are sometimes used in children who have amblyopia (lazy eye). Because the drops can temporarily cause blurry vision, they are used to blur the stronger eye, thereby forcing the child's brain to use the weaker eye.
What to expect when your eyes are dilated
It usually takes 20 to 30 minutes for dilating eyedrops to begin working. People with light eye colors (such as blue, green, or hazel) are more sensitive and dilate faster than people with dark eye colors (brown). With dilated pupils, you will be sensitive to light and find it difficult to focus on nearby objects. These effects can last for up to several hours, depending on the strength of the drop used and on each individual. The drops that we use at our center usually start to wear off after about 3 to 4 hours.
When you are going to have a dilated eye exam or procedure, you should bring sunglasses with you to reduce glare and light sensitivity when you leave your appointment. We have "drop-downs" that slide behind your glasses or "wrap-arounds" which will wrap around your eyes for those who wear contacts or no corrective lenses. It is important to protect your eyes from the sun's harmful UV rays when your eyes are dilated; these harmful UV rays could damage your retina.
Dilating eyedrops cause a variable amount of blurry vision for an unpredictable length of time. Dr. Bogart cannot tell you how much your vision will be affected and for exactly how long, because all eyes are different. Although most patients can drive themselves after a dilated eye exam, some may not be safe to drive. It is recommended to have a back-up driver, especially if you have had difficulty driving with your eyes dilated in the past.
If you have any questions regarding dilating eye drops or would like to schedule a dilated exam with Dr. Bogart, please call our office at: 803-794-0000 and press option "2" to speak to our Appointment Secretary.
Dilating eyedrops (called mydriatics) are used to dilate, or enlarge, the pupils of your eyes so that Dr. Bogart can see the inside of your eye in detail.Dilating drops work by temporarily paralyzing the muscle that makes the pupil smaller; or by stimulating the muscle that makes the iris (the colored part of the eye) widen, preventing the pupil from adjusting for focus (called accommodation).
Why do we dilate your eyes for exams?
With your pupils dilated, Dr. Bogart can use special instruments to see the eye's entire lens, which focuses light onto the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue that lines the back of your eye. The retina itself also can be seen when your eyes are dilated, as well as the optic nerve, which sends signals from the retina to your brain where they are interpreted as images.
In addition to exams, dilating eyedrops are used for a variety of purposes. For some types of eye surgery, Dr. Bogart will need to dilate your eyes. It is important to use dilating drops to keep the pupil wide so that scar tissue will not form. Your eyes may also be dilated to relax your lens's focusing ability/muscles so that your eye doctor can measure accurately for your glasses prescription.
Dilating drops are sometimes used in children who have amblyopia (lazy eye). Because the drops can temporarily cause blurry vision, they are used to blur the stronger eye, thereby forcing the child's brain to use the weaker eye.
What to expect when your eyes are dilated
It usually takes 20 to 30 minutes for dilating eyedrops to begin working. People with light eye colors (such as blue, green, or hazel) are more sensitive and dilate faster than people with dark eye colors (brown). With dilated pupils, you will be sensitive to light and find it difficult to focus on nearby objects. These effects can last for up to several hours, depending on the strength of the drop used and on each individual. The drops that we use at our center usually start to wear off after about 3 to 4 hours.
When you are going to have a dilated eye exam or procedure, you should bring sunglasses with you to reduce glare and light sensitivity when you leave your appointment. We have "drop-downs" that slide behind your glasses or "wrap-arounds" which will wrap around your eyes for those who wear contacts or no corrective lenses. It is important to protect your eyes from the sun's harmful UV rays when your eyes are dilated; these harmful UV rays could damage your retina.
Dilating eyedrops cause a variable amount of blurry vision for an unpredictable length of time. Dr. Bogart cannot tell you how much your vision will be affected and for exactly how long, because all eyes are different. Although most patients can drive themselves after a dilated eye exam, some may not be safe to drive. It is recommended to have a back-up driver, especially if you have had difficulty driving with your eyes dilated in the past.
If you have any questions regarding dilating eye drops or would like to schedule a dilated exam with Dr. Bogart, please call our office at: 803-794-0000 and press option "2" to speak to our Appointment Secretary.
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