Dilated pupils

"Marina" wrote in message
...
wrote:
Mine, that is. I just came back from an eye exam, and they always put
drops in to dilate your pupils, to check for glaucoma. As a result,
bright lights hurt my eyes and a dark room feels normal and comfortable.
In fact, I could see really well in the dark corridor inside my work
building, after coming in from the sunny outdoors. Maybe this is what
it's like to be a cat.


I had the same thing on Tuesday. Luckily, it wasn't very sunny when I
walked the few steps home from the doc's. Couldn't really read, so I

The last time I had my eyes dilated I was driving home (short drive, done it
many times after eye dr appts) but this time I got pulled over by the
police. WTF? I sure wasn't speeding, I had been sitting at a red light
with the police car behind me, and after making my left turn when we got the
signal, his lights and siren went on. Turns out one of my rear light bulbs
was out. He asked for the usual drivers license and registration. License,
ok. Registration, glove compartment. Problem. I couldn't SEE in the glove
compartment! I had to tell the officer that I just came from the eye
doctors and I couldn't see well so couldn't find my registration. Then I
said, "I probably shouldn't have told you I can't see since I'm driving and
all". LOL He laughed and said at least I was honest, then he offered to
follow me home so I'd get home OK. It was just 3 miles down the road. Nice
guy.

"Jack Campin - bogus address" wrote in
message ...
Mine, that is. I just came back from an eye exam, and they always
put
drops in to dilate your pupils, to check for glaucoma. As a result,
bright lights hurt my eyes and a dark room feels normal and
comfortable.
In fact, I could see really well in the dark corridor inside my
work
building, after coming in from the sunny outdoors. Maybe this is
what
it's like to be a cat.

You must have a very old-fashioned and low-tech eye specialist.
I haven't had one do that for more than 20 years. There have
been two generations of glaucoma-testing technology since then.


It isn't necessary anymore to have your pupils dilated for routine
testing. But as you would find out if you hang out with old people,
it is still necessary for some diagnostic and treatment purposes. I
had it done at some point during the testing etc for my cataract
surgery. I think it was when then were doing the measurements for the
replacement lenses.

When I'd stay with my mother at the facility where she lived for a
while, it wasn't unusual to see someone at lunch in the dining room
with the plastic 'blackout' temporary sunglasses after their
ophthalmologist visit.

Jo

"Jofirey" wrote in message
...

"Jack Campin - bogus address" wrote in message
...
Mine, that is. I just came back from an eye exam, and they always put
drops in to dilate your pupils, to check for glaucoma. As a result,
bright lights hurt my eyes and a dark room feels normal and comfortable.
In fact, I could see really well in the dark corridor inside my work
building, after coming in from the sunny outdoors. Maybe this is what
it's like to be a cat.

You must have a very old-fashioned and low-tech eye specialist.
I haven't had one do that for more than 20 years. There have
been two generations of glaucoma-testing technology since then.


It isn't necessary anymore to have your pupils dilated for routine
testing. But as you would find out if you hang out with old people, it is
still necessary for some diagnostic and treatment purposes. I had it done
at some point during the testing etc for my cataract surgery. I think it
was when then were doing the measurements for the replacement lenses.

When I'd stay with my mother at the facility where she lived for a while,
it wasn't unusual to see someone at lunch in the dining room with the
plastic 'blackout' temporary sunglasses after their ophthalmologist visit.


In my case, my pupils have been dilated many times while eye doctor was
checking retina problems. My eye doctor thought I was showing signs of
macular degeneration and until he was confident that what he was seeing
wasn't changing, he was taking pictures of my retinas and to do that your
pupils need to be dilated. At least that's what I was told.

On 2009-04-02, Jack Campin - bogus address wrote:

Better test equipment seems to make the homatropine unnecessary for
any routine purpose.

They don't use atropine much any more. It lasts too long.

Bud

On 2009-04-02, Cheryl wrote:
Marina wrote:
MLB wrote:


I question the validity of your statement. There are other things the
dilation can detect besides glaucoma. Further research needed. MLB

Mine are always dilated to check my retinas for any sign of retinopathy
(which I've had before).

Mine are always dilated, too - I assumed to check for glaucoma, but
there could be other reasons as well.

Dilating the pupil isn't needed to check the pressure in the eye. They
put in a local anesthetic to reduce the discomfort and use a tensiometer
to measure the pressure. I've had that done without having my pupils
dilated.

Persons of a certain age should be checked periodically. Get checked if
you notice symptoms, such as seeing colored halos around streetlights,
that may be caused by glaucoma.

Bud

On 2009-04-02, Jack Campin - bogus address wrote:
Mine, that is. I just came back from an eye exam, and they always put
drops in to dilate your pupils, to check for glaucoma. As a result,
bright lights hurt my eyes and a dark room feels normal and comfortable.
In fact, I could see really well in the dark corridor inside my work
building, after coming in from the sunny outdoors. Maybe this is what
it's like to be a cat.

You must have a very old-fashioned and low-tech eye specialist.
I haven't had one do that for more than 20 years. There have
been two generations of glaucoma-testing technology since then.

Dilating the pupil can be a bad idea when you suspect glacoma because
dilating the pupil may trigger an acute attack. Usually they dilate your
pupil to be able see how the retina is doing. They also have things to
un-dilate pupils.

BTW, they check cats for glaucoma the same way they check people.

Bud

"Jack Campin - bogus address" wrote in message
...
Mine, that is. I just came back from an eye exam, and they always put
drops in to dilate your pupils, to check for glaucoma. As a result,
bright lights hurt my eyes and a dark room feels normal and comfortable.
In fact, I could see really well in the dark corridor inside my work
building, after coming in from the sunny outdoors. Maybe this is what
it's like to be a cat.

You must have a very old-fashioned and low-tech eye specialist.
I haven't had one do that for more than 20 years. There have
been two generations of glaucoma-testing technology since then.

Dilating the pupils is usually for examining the retina. I am a veteran of
7 eye operations so I know a little about this.
Glaucoma testing is done by my optician with a puff of air.

Tweed

"Cheryl" wrote in message
...
"Jofirey" wrote in message
...


In my case, my pupils have been dilated many times while eye doctor was
checking retina problems. My eye doctor thought I was showing signs of
macular degeneration and until he was confident that what he was seeing
wasn't changing, he was taking pictures of my retinas and to do that your
pupils need to be dilated. At least that's what I was told.


And he was right. The pupils have to be dilated to examine the retina
closely.
I well remember coming away from a hospital appt with my pupils still
dilated when it was sunny outside. I could not bear the sun and my eyes
were streaming with tears. I'd gone there on my own - on two buses - as I
knew I would not be able to drive afterwards.
I had to walk over a mile and a half to find a bus to get home on and I
could only look down at the ground because of the sun.
It was certainly a challenge finding my way home that day.

Tweed

Christina Websell wrote:

The pupils have to be dilated to examine the retina closely.

I'm sure my doctor was doing that as well. It was a general exam, for
eye health as well as for vision. (Mine got slightly worse - my near-
sighted eye got more nearsighted, and my farsighted eye got more far-
sighted.)

I well remember coming away from a hospital appt with my pupils still
dilated when it was sunny outside. I could not bear the sun and my eyes
were streaming with tears. I'd gone there on my own - on two buses - as I
knew I would not be able to drive afterwards.

I would have found the walk back to work painful if I hadn't been wearing
sunglasses. I even wore them inside for a while, and sat in my office with
the overhead lights off, and just the desk lamp on (with the bulb facing
away from me).

--
Joyce ^..^

To email me, remove the XXX from my user name.

Christina Websell wrote:
I well remember coming away from a hospital appt with my pupils still
dilated when it was sunny outside. I could not bear the sun and my eyes
were streaming with tears. I'd gone there on my own - on two buses - as I
knew I would not be able to drive afterwards.
I had to walk over a mile and a half to find a bus to get home on and I
could only look down at the ground because of the sun.
It was certainly a challenge finding my way home that day.

I've experienced that many times. I always hope for cloudy weather when
I have an eye app. I especially remember one time, when I was a
teenager; I was supposed to go on to school from my appointment, but
there was new snow on the ground and bright sunshine. I couldn't look
anywhere, because the sun hurt my eyes, and the bright white snow
reflecting the sunlight hurt my eyes. I had to go back to the clinic and
ring my Dad to come and get me.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban.
In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.