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I just had mine on Friday. I hung around looking at frames, dropped the little sunglass thing behind my glasses and drove home about 10 miles. Slightly blurry driving, 4 hours later I walked next door and my Dad's kitchen was so bright I had to cover my eyes.
Awwww. What a sweet story. That's one of the reasons why it's so important to see your eye doctor regularly
Actually, optometrists are qualified to dilate your eyes also. It's really important to have the dilation performed, even if you have no symptoms, because eye doctors can catch diseases like glaucoma, diabetes, and high blood pressure via dilation, and sometimes find it before your family doctor does.
They do the "air puff" test which I assume is an alternative to the pupil dilation. It's a very busy chain optics place in a mall so I assume they do it to save time. Before I moved and was off my parent's insurance I used to go a private ophthalmologist office where the visits (including eyeglass fitting) took about an hour and a half. I'm in and out of the chain optics place in about 20 minutes.
They do the "air puff" test which I assume is an alternative to the pupil dilation. It's a very busy chain optics place in a mall so I assume they do it to save time. Before I moved and was off my parent's insurance I used to go a private ophthalmologist office where the visits (including eyeglass fitting) took about an hour and a half. I'm in and out of the chain optics place in about 20 minutes.
You're right that it's an alternative, but it's a poor one. Dilation allows the doctor to view the retina and macula. When your eyes aren't dilated, the doctor can't examine the back part of your eye because your pupil doesn't open when a bright light is shined on it. Its natural response is to constrict. The back of your eye is just as much, if not more responsible for helping you see as your cornea, sclera, conjuctiva, etc. . . I suggest you get a dilation at least every few years since you're young, just to make sure everything is OK.
I've worked as a Certified Ophthalmic Technician for several years, so I have a bit of knowledge to impart about the subject. The doc or technician normally puts two different drops in. The first opens your pupils up to prevent them from constricting when a light is shined in them; in other words, it temporarily interferes with the normal function of your eye). That's so the doc can check the health of your retina, optic nerve, and macula indirectly. The second drop keeps your pupil open a little while so the doctor has enough time to check it before it closes back up. Many people are OK with driving after pupil dilation because it makes just your near vision blurry, not your distance vision. If you aren't, just bring some lunch or a good book and you can hang out until you feel comfortable. Pupil dilation does make your eyes light sensitive, however, so you should wear some dark sunglasses if you go outside on a sunny day right after the eye exam. The doctor's office will offer you some sunglasses, but they suck, so bring your own. The dilation lasts most people 2-3 hours before reversing itself naturally.
I was thinking that I'd probably have to pack a lunch... or something. Shall I get a large print book from the library?
He checked out the BABE that was dilating his eyes and was never the same. He married her. Says his eye still bug out when he looks at her.
You scared me for a second.
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