After eye dilation, there are things that you should not do.
Take the following precautions after you have had your eyes dilated:
- Avoid driving as your vision will be blurred and sensitive to light because of the eye drops. So, wear sunglasses and ask your loved one to drive you home.
- Do not look directly into the sun. Too much light will make your eyes strain leading to headaches.
- Avoid staring at digital screens as the blue light from electronic screens leads to digital eye strains.
- Do not read letters in small font. Struggling to see small fonts will cause fatigue, eye strains, and headaches.
Your eye doctor may dilate your pupils when examining you. This makes them larger so the doctor can see inside your eyes better. Eyes become sensitive to bright light for a few hours after they are dilated. However, the good news is they get back to normal faster.
To make the discomfort of having dilated pupils more manageable, you can:
- Ask someone to drive you home after your appointment.
- Wear sunglasses when you’re outside or in the car.
- Remain indoors or under the shade.
- Use blue-light protection glasses when you’re looking at digital screens.
- Lower the brightness of your screens.
- Use reading glasses when your pupils are dilated.
It can take four to six hours for your pupils to return to normal size after dilation. Your age, eye color, and medications determine how long it takes. Although dilation seems too much, it is an essential procedure during an eye examination. It takes little time to get back to your usual routine after eye dilation.