If so, make arrangements to bring a driver with you. Before you arrive to our office for your appointment, call us and ask if your pupils will be dilated. If you are in need of an eye examination, there is a good chance that pupil dilation will be a part of the assessment process. Therefore, we recommend that all patients who have their pupils dilated bring a trusted friend or family member to drive them home from their appointment. Following pupil dilation, it is possible that glare could simply be too obstructive. When driving, it is important to be fully alert, and ready for anything. While many patients may be fine driving after dilation, others may not realize there is a problem until it is too late. In Conclusion: Better Safe than SorryĪt Retina Associates, we are proponents of the old adage better safe than sorry. There is also evidence that suggests that pupil dilation may have a more significant effect on older patients compared to younger patients. For example, there are multiple factors at play when driving, such as the weather, the traffic, the particular time of day, and how long the patient must drive following the eye appointment. However, other experts state that the effects are simply too unpredictable to support driving after pupil dilation. While plenty of research studies suggest that dilation does lead to vision deterioration, but the effects may not be severe enough to make a marked difference. Pupil Dilation and Drivingĭriving after pupil dilation is a controversial topic. Whether it is light or dark outside, driving can be dangerous, as glaring is also a common side effect of pupil dilation. Furthermore, you will be much more sensitive to bright lights. Once your eyes are dilated, you will experience blurry vision, and will have a particularly difficult time focusing on up close objects. On average, it takes about four to six hours for your eyes to return to normal. Approximately 20 to 30 minutes later, the pupils will be fully opened. Dilation drops contain two active ingredients: one to paralyze the muscle that contracts the pupil, and one to stimulate the muscle that widens it. To dilate the pupils, your doctor will administer a specific type of eye drops into each eye. This is crucial for the diagnosis of conditions such as glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration, or eye tumors. By dilating the pupils, your doctor can more easily visualize and examine the nerves and blood vessels in the back of the eye. Why Is Pupil Dilation Necessary?Īlthough most individuals have their pupils dilated routinely during eye examinations, many do not understand why it is necessary. Here, our team at Retina Associates in Kansas City, MO discusses why you shouldn’t drive after pupil dilation. However, there is evidence that suggests it is not a good idea. Many patients drive after pupil dilation without a second thought. Pupil dilation is a necessary aspect of ophthalmological care and is used to diagnose a variety of retinal conditions. If you have questions regarding these evolving protocols, please contact our office. Your health and that of our staff is our guiding priority and we continue to update our protocol to ensure safety for everyone. Placed in self/hospital quarantine by medical doctor.Exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the past 14 days.Respiratory symptoms or difficulty breathing.With all of our offices open, the following protocols are in place:ġ) We have greatly expanded measures to disinfect our office including cleaning between each patient appointment.Ģ) To limit any potential exposure, we ask you NOT to bring any non-essential person(s) with you to the appointment.ģ) If someone must accompany you to your appointment, we ask that they do not enter the office, if at all possible.Ĥ) If you have an upcoming appointment and identify with the following statements, please do not come directly to the office, but instead call us: We will continue to see our patients and treat any urgent/emergent needs. We continue to closely monitor the situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and are following the published recommendations of the CDC and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |