Receive Answers
Our Blog
Ask an optometrist
Disclaimer: This blog is not a substitute for a visit to an optometrist or medical professional. Most problems require an exam, in person, by an optometrist, ophthalmologist or medical doctor. If you are injured or require medical attention, go to your local hospital emergency room immediately – do not wait for a reply from this blog.
Repeat questions will not be answered. Check the "Categories" before submitting a question.
This is a Canadian site. Due to high volume, questions emanating from IP addresses outside of Canada will not be answered.
Eye Test with Drops
Brandon wrote:
Had my eyes checked two weeks ago. For the vision test, the doctor did not administer drops and said that my prescription had actually gone down / eyes had improved since last check. He then tested again after putting in drops, and said initial findings were incorrect. One eye slightly worse than last time, one eye the same. He said the initial findings were screwed because he thinks my eyes "spasm" when I don't wear my glasses...in order to see. I find this new rx too harsh or strong, my old rx was strong too I think but I'm never really sure how I'm supposed to feel with glasses. What do you think? I can see ok without glasses, they're mainly for computer & night driving.
Dr Carol Doman's response:
Brandon,
Checking your vision with the drops in will give the most accurate results. This is especially true with hyperopia or far-sightedness. In most people the results with and without drops will be the same. When we check the prescription for glasses ideally we want your focusing completely relaxed. Younger people have a very strong focusing ability, so strong that it is sometimes very hard for them to relax it during the test. We have a few ways of encouraging the focusing to relax, but the drops work the best. Some people have more of a problem relaxing their focus than others. It sounds like the prescription didn’t change much in your new glasses. It always takes some time to adjust to a change in a glasses prescription even if it is a small change. The fastest way to adjust is to wear them all the time. Another thing with hyperopia in young people is that without glasses the vision is not overly blurry as they can exert extra effort and focus more to make things clear. The problem with this is that it is not a good idea to do this on a continuous basis. Depending on the amount of the prescription some people are required to wear the glasses all the time, while others are only required to wear them during certain visual tasks. I would advise that you follow the advice of your optometrist and wear the glasses for what they recommended. I hope you will find this information to be helpful.
Dr. Doman
Add your comment
Re: Should Eyes be Dialated During an Eye Exam
Chris wrote:
Should eyes be dilated for ONLY a refraction test? I seem to always get an eye glass prescription that is always "off" due to having my eye refraction test done while my eyes are dilated. Is this normal? Chris
Dr. Virginia Donati's response:
Hello Chris, Normally the drops to dilate the pupils are instilled during an eye examination in order to assess the health of the back of your eye. When these drops are given, it is only done AFTER your prescription has been checked due to the fact that the drops can cause blurring of the vision. However, there is another type of drop given to more-accurately assess the prescription of individuals who have higher-than-average far-sightedness. This may be why your pupils were dilated. Either way, if you find your new glasses uncomfortable and you’ve allowed your eyes enough time to adapt to the change (2-4 weeks of wearing the glasses), then you should return to your optometrist to ensure that the glasses were made correctly. Good luck! Dr. Donati
No comment
Add your comment
Re: Eyes are Sore and Irritated After Eye Exam
John wrote:
Had my eye's tested three weeks ago, sinse then my eyes are sore, irritated, I am sensitive to light, my vision seems affected? My pupils feel like they are still dialated. Is it possible that the fluid that dialated my pupils could have caused this?
Dr Joan Hansen's response:
John, It is not likely that the drops to dilate your pupils are still having an affect. Having said that, it is possible to have a mild allergic reaction to one of the components of the drops – most often the preservative – but that would usually wear off the next day. I would suggest that you have your Optometrist check your eyes to see what is happening. I cannot diagnose it without looking at your eyes through a microscope. Dr. Joan Hansen, Optometrist for CAO
No comment