Can You Wear Contacts After Dilation?

An eye doctor uses drops to dilate your pupils.

An optometrist or ophthalmologist dilates your eyes with liquid medicine so she can get a full view of the inside of your eye during an examination. There are several types of eye drops used during an exam, and contact lenses can only be worn after certain kinds of drops are used.

Significance

Eye doctors use different kinds of eye drops during a comprehensive eye exam. Some drops dilate the pupil, and others are used for glaucoma testing or to enhance the surface of the cornea. The doctor or ophthalmic technician should tell you which drops are being put in your eyes.

Dilation Drops

Dilation drops cause temporary sensitivity to light. The drops usually wear off within a few hours, but for some people, sensitivity lasts longer. The drops themselves do not normally cause any problems with contact lenses, but light sensitivity may be worse for contact lens wearers after an eye exam.

Expert Insight

Dr. Lee MacKewiz of Bear Eye Center in Delaware does not recommend wearing contact lenses after dilation. He notes that staining from certain types of drops could discolor your contacts, and residual dilation medication could be absorbed in your lenses and cause re-dilation.

References

• Dr. Kipling: How Long Do Eye Dilation Drops Last?
• Bear Eye Center: FAQs

Resources

• All About Vision: Comprehensive Eye Exams