Do I Really Have to be Dilated?

It’s no secret that getting those pesky eye drops is the worst part of going to the eye doctor. The stinging, the blurry vision, the light sensitivity... Is it really something that we have to do every year?

What actually is dilation?

Let’s start by exploring what dilation even is to begin with. A comprehensive eye exam is more than just getting new glasses. Eye doctors take an overall comprehensive look at the health of the eyes- including the front surface, like the cornea and conjunctiva, as well as inside the eyes, like the iris, lens, and retina.

The retina is the very back of the eye, where light focuses and where visual stimuli are carried back to the brain through the optic nerve. Eye doctors take a look at the retina by using high powered magnification and very bright lightsto view through the pupil to see the back of the eye. The pupil, by design, shrinks when it encounters bright light. This makes viewing the back of the eye much more difficult. It’s like taking a look at a room through a keyhole. You might see some tables and chairs but you won’t be able to see what is lurking over in the far corners of the room. Dilating drops open up the pupil so that we can see the entirety of the retina. Essentially, it’s like opening up the door and shedding some light into those far corners we couldn’t see before.
 

But is dilation actually necessary?

Incredibly so! It is very important to get the eyes dilated yearly (and perhaps more frequently if you have certain conditions) because it allows us to check that nothing has changed over the last year. Would you get a physical and not let your doctor listen to your heartbeat or check your blood pressure? Without dilation, we cannot fully assess the health of the eyes. Many diseases and complications can develop without any symptoms, so dilation allows us to find these things before they become problematic or lead to permanent vision loss.

Is there any other way?

Yes, actually, there is! There have been many technological advances in the last few decades that include powerful imaging devices that allow us to get wonderful views of the retina without having to dilate.

Here at Eyes on Dover, we offer Optomap digital imaging. With a quick, simple, and painless procedure, we can easily take a picture of the retina without having to get you dilated. Plus, you get a view of what your eyes actually look like! The Optomap also provides a permanent image that gets put in your file that we can quickly reference back to and compare should anything seem to change in the future.

So when it comes time for your next annual comprehensive eye exam, you don’t need to worry about those annoying eye drops!
 

Has it been a while since you’ve had your eyes checked? If so, it’s probably a good time to get scheduled! Call or text us at 440-256-6894 to get an appointment. We can’t wait to see you!