Numbing eye drops - scared

[sausagedaug]

I have to go to the optician next week for an eye exam to check for Glaucoma. Had persistent high pressure in one eye for a few years now. My DF had glaucoma so I'm at risk for it. Nothing has ever been done about it until now.

Has anyone ever had this done? How do your eyes feel when they put the drops in. The thought of it freaks me out a little bit.

I get my eyes checked regularly and have drops put in to enlarge the pupils. Most recently 3 days ago! The drops sting a little at first but that stops after a few seconds. After that my eyesight gets a bit blurry as the pupils dilate - takes about 10 to 15 minutes. This lasts for about 3 hours until it wears off. I'm not allowed to drive for a few hours after the examination as my vision is a little blurred. It doesn't last long and wears off quite quickly.

As the above poster said the drops are a bit stingy for about half a minute and then you forget you have drops in. She will look in your eyes with a light. It’s nothing to worry about. She will give you a tissue.

Take sunglasses with you as it will all be very bright when you go outside. Plus the whites of your eyes will look discoloured so I prefer to look cool in my glasses 😎

Then it all returns to normal. Don’t worry at all. It’s not a big deal. They will also puff some air at you to measure the pressure in your eyes. They could also sit you at various machines to test your peripheral vision etc wirh fairy lights flashing. Again not a big deal at all.

None of it hurts. The drops stinging at the start is probably the worst bit and that’s really not that bad at all. I’d rather have that than the dentist lol 😂

I have driven after but I don’t think we are supposed to as it’s a little bit blurry. Previously I got the bus instead.

last time they offered me a scan of the back of my eyes but it’s a private charge thing not nhs. It was a tenner or twenty quid or somwthimg and they keep it for comparisons in future to check no deterioration. I thought it was worth it but up to the individual.

So I asked the optician if I could drive myself there and apparently I can. I'm not having the drops that dilate these are anaesthetic eye drops to
test my eye pressure.

I had both recently - dilating and anaesthetic. For surgery - no pain at all. Bit cold, slightly stingy.
It's just a bit weird and unpleasant thinking about your eyes being messed with but in reality not uncomfortable at all.

I had anaesthetic eye drops at the testing stage and when I had one of my lenses replaced. I was told I could drive to the appointment but not home from it as the effect varies from person to person - it took 2 hours for mine to wear off. I couldn't see a thing out of that eye so driving would have been possible but not necessarily advisable! (After surgery I wasn't allowed to drive for 6 weeks whilst the new lens settled. )

It's fine. You're not aware that your eye is numb until they touch it and you don't feel anything. Definitely not anything to worry about.

Thankyou all. The thought of my eyes being numbed just doesn't seem right. Not sure if they're doing one or both. One of my eyes constantly has high pressure. If it's still high when they've done this test then I'm to be referred to the eye hospital.

I had this done about five years ago for floaters and flashing lights and also three years ago when I had shingles in my eye and had to have an eye exam at the hospital.

It does sting a bit at first, I was told not to drive after so my friend took me and brought me home from the eye exam and I got a taxi home from the hospital.

Topical anaesthetic drops to allow pressure check are fine, they might nip a little but that’ll wear off quickly. The optometrist will check both eyes as the comparison is important. The anaesthesia wear off after about 15-20 mins. Your eyes will feel a little strange but it’s not unpleasant. The actual pressure check should only take a few seconds.