Why are the Eye Drops Important?

Having your eyes tested can be fun! You get to pick out new glasses, ask all your eyeball-related questions, and learn about the health of your eyes.

During your eye exam, optometrists will often use eye drops to assess your eyes. These drops are arguably the most important part of the exam, because they can help your optometrist identify potentially harmful eye conditions. However, people sometimes get nervous about having these drops put in their eyes.

Drop #1: The Yellow Drop

This drop is a bright “highlighter yellow” colour and is used to check the pressure inside the eye. Eye pressure is completely separate from blood pressure and has to do with fluid moving in and out of the internal structures of the eye. If the eye pressure becomes too high it can damage your optic nerve and cause a condition called glaucoma. Glaucoma is a very serious condition that can lead to blindness if not identified and treated early.

The scariest thing about eye pressure, and the reason that we highly recommend having it checked as part of your eye exam, is that high eye pressure is often asymptomatic. This means that your eye pressure could be causing permanent damage to your eyes, but you wouldn’t necessarily feel it. The yellow drop lasts about 10-15 mins, and the actual eye pressure test takes about 5-10 seconds per eye. It is a quick, simple test that can save people’s vision.

Drop #2: The Dilation Drop

The pupil (the black part of the eye) is a hole that the optometrist can look through to assess the health of the retina (the neural tissue at the back of the eye that gives you the ability to see). The pupil will naturally get smaller when light is shone in it, which makes it difficult for your optometrist to examine your retina.

The dilation drop works by widening the pupil so that the optometrist is able to see the whole retina. These drops are important to look for potentially blinding conditions in your eyes like macular degeneration, glaucoma and retinal detachment.

The dilation drops can also help identify health problems in the REST of the body, because they can help your optometrist clearly see your retinal blood vessels. My findings on eye exams have led to the diagnosis of lung cancer, leukemia, diabetes, high blood pressure, and even brain tumors.

Who Should Have the Drops Done?

Your optometrist will let you know if they recommend having the drops done as part of your routine eye exam. However, there are some groups who may need the drops more often than others.

1. Diabetics – Diabetics can have bleeding in their retina due to high blood sugar and should be dilated yearly.

2. Family History of Eye Disease – Having a family history of eye disease increases your risk of developing certain eye conditions.

3. Certain Medications – Certain medications, such as plaquenil, can cause retinal damage and should be monitored with dilation.

4. Anyone with Flashes, Floaters or a History of Eye Problems – This is even more important if the flashes and floaters are new.

5. Sudden Vision Loss – Any sudden vision loss may require a dilated eye exam ASAP.

6. High Prescriptions – Very nearsighted people and very farsighted people may have a higher risk of developing certain eye conditions.

7. You Haven’t Had the Drops in a While – Dilation is important even if the vision is great, because eye conditions don’t necessarily affect the vision right away. It’s a quick, easy test that can potentially save someone’s vision, or even life. Your optometrist will discuss with you whether or not the drops are recommended during your eye exam.

Tips to Make the Eye Drops More Enjoyable

1. Bring a Friend – The eye drops can cause light sensitivity and blurry vision up close. Bringing a friend means they can help with driving and also help you pick out new glasses. Many of my patients even make a day out of it and go for lunch after their appointment!

2. Bring a Bottle of Artificial Tears – The ingredients in the drops can sometimes cause mild eye discomfort. After your eye exam, putting in a few drops of a good lubricating drop will help alleviate some of that discomfort.

3. Don’t Forget to Breathe – It sounds obvious, I know! Just keep breathing and try your best to relax. The actual drops themselves take only seconds to get in the eyes. Keep breathing and your doctor will get the drops done in no time!

4. Remember, it is Worth it – By knowing what is going on in your eyes now, you can better keep them healthy for many years to come.

Be sure to speak to your optometrist about the eye drops as part of your next eye exam!

#Optometry #Glaucoma #Health #Retina #Eyes #EyeExam #MacularDegeneration