It was probably more a reaction from getting over a stressful ordeal than the exam. I know that when I am keyed up or worried about something, when it is over with, I head for the couch and a short nap....which always turns into a long nap!

Hi Jen,
The times that I get my eyes dilated, and have to drive home, my whole body is tense (because of the the sensitivity to light). Maybe it was the stress from the exam, and definitely from the drive home?
Maybe you just relaxed enough afterwards to catch up on the needed sleep?
Everyone is different though. My system is so sensitive, that there have been times in the past that those dilating drops would give me a panic attack. Go figure!

I just had the same sort of eye exam you did in July and had a similar reaction.(I lay down and slept for several hours - unusual for me). But what worried me the most was that my eyes seemed to be slow to un-dilate. I expected to have normal vision back by evening, as my exam was at 9 a.m. However, it was the middle of the next day before my vision was not blurry.

Woodnymph,
My eyes take until the next day to un-dilate too. I guess some of us are just really sensitive to the drug.
One time....my pupils dilated off to the sides of the irises. Boy did I look weird!!

LOL, well it sounds like it is a typical reaction due to one thing or another (being stressed out, or a reaction to the drops).

The drops to dilate my pupils were added in the afternoon and my pupils were still very dilated at 10:00 last night. This morning they were back to normal (and so was I).

Jen

My husband and I had eye exams this past weekend. It took 2 hours to complete. He had his eyes dilated, I did not. They messed up on one of my exams and wanted to do it over. I told them I was too exhausted to re-test, and would come back another time. My husband has to have a re-test also. 2 hours seemed extreme and exhausting.

Ask your doctor...I think there are some drops which can reverse the dilation.

On a recent exam including dilated eyes I had to drive home into the sun, and it was just horrible. I complained next time I went in,and they but in some kind of reverse drops. That helped.

Well, I'm glad ALL of you are getting eye exams. Yup, I get them and they are all sorts of exams, the eye chart, with and without glasses/contacts. The field of vision, and clicking the button all over the place, the numbing drops, that AWFUL bright light looking into the corners and following commands "look up and to the right, straight up, down and to the left", etc, etc. It is tiring, to be sure.

BUT, let me tell you, as one gal who watched her late great-grandmother, late grandmother, go slowly blind in their elderly years from glaucoma, and whose own mother now takes a plethora of eyedrops for the same condition, you bet I was at the opthamologist every year!!!!! Knowing I'd be next, if history repeats itself!!!!

So, age 50 was the diagnosis time for me. My pressures were fine (Intra-ocular pressure is the measurement for glaucoma) until I hit the big 50, and when they ticked over the upper range of normal, onto a daily drop I went!!! I did my due diligence to catch it early, I faithfully put in one drop at bedtime, and I hope to live long, well, and sighted!

I'm pleased to hear so many of you get tested, since you can't feel glaucoma, until you lose your peripheral vision, and will wreck all 4 corners of your car first, and will trip over curbs you can't see.

Cheerful1, don't forget to back and repeat the testing!!! Keep those peepers peeping!!!!

Look at it this way...enjoy the POWER naps!!!!!

The amazing thing was, 3 years ago, my husband was at risk for macular degeneration. We have been taking 20 mg of lutein daily since then. His (and my) eyes now have plenty of pigment - no risk right now.

My retest has to do with a possible problem with my peripheral vision on my left side. My husband's retest has to do with pressure behind his eyes.

Those drops are like a seditive. They make you tired. I am allergic to local anesthesia, so be glad you don't have to feel the second drops -- they burn.

Sammy

Jen, I too night vision problems with traffic lights on oncoming vehicles look as if they were firework type sparklers. Since DH is no longer able to drive I would panic if held up by his any of his Doctors, tests., etc.
Discussing it with my opthamologist last visit, he recommended I have a special coating added to my new glasses...don't know the name of it but what a difference it made! Cost about $80. - best $$$ I've spent in years.
Suzi

I had my eyes checked this morning and they were dialated too. I felt exhausted a few hours later and I knew it wasn't normal. With some research I found this from the Mayo Clinic: "Any dilating drop can be absorbed systemically and cause side effects outside the eye. You may experience and rise in blood pressure, dizziness, paleness, headache, a sensation that your heart is pounding, or an erratic heartbeat or rapid heartbeat, according to the Mayo Clinic. Thirst, dry mouth or skin, or unusual tiredness may also occur."

Me too. Went today. Zapped me for the rest of the day. Can hardly keep my eyes open. And I feel mildy nauseous too. Happens every time. So I googled and low and behold found I'm not alone and not crazy. I also found the Mayo site stating "unusual tiredness."

Ong I thought I was going crazy. Had my eyes dialated today. I am so tired can hardly keep my eyes open. My dialation lasted most of the day.