How Long Does It Take For Pupil Dilation End?

Question

I recently came from an Eye exam from my local ophthalmologist and he inserted several drops of pupil dilating drops in my eyes. He said that the eyes will be come normal over time, so I was wondering what is the amount of time in hours that it normally takes for the eyes to become normal? I'm worried because I can't see a thing up close or far, lol. Thanks in advance for your answers.

Answer 1

It varies a lot depending on the drops they used, and the concentration , as well as your own eyes.

It could last anywhere from 4 hours to 24 hours...and has been known to last longer in rare cases. The average is 4 to 8 hours though.

I always dislike that part, because it always lasts about 18 hours for me , and most of that is with a real bad headache.

Answer 2

I bet you are almost back to normal by now. I had the same drops once and I think it was a couple of hours. The drops relax the eye so that the iris shrinks back and the pupil dilates. This (as with a camera when the aperture is large) will cause your depth of focus to be reduced. this is why you struggle to focus quickly from close to far objects. It is normal and i thought it fasinating and enjoyable

Answer 3

Generally, dilation of the pupil will last for three to six hours and will primarily affect your near or close up vision.  However, it is not uncommon for dilation to last up to 24 hours for some patients depending on the eye drops used to achieve dilation.  Different eye drops are used for various ages of patients.  Most patients can drive home after their eye exam, and sunglasses are encouraged to be worn.  Disposable sunglasses are usually provided for those patients who do not have sunglasses.  If a patient feels uncomfortable driving home with his or her eyes dilated, it would be advisable to bring someone with you to drive.