Many parents don't understand why they take their children to have their eyesight checked, but the doctor asks for dilated eye refraction. Isn't it just about finding out the prescription of optometry? Why do you need dilated pupils? What is dilated refraction? Will dilated pupils have a bad effect on my child's eyes?
What is dilated refraction?
Dilated refraction is performed when the ciliary muscles of the eye are completely paralyzed and lose their adjustment by applying drugs that temporarily dilate the pupils. It is divided into fast and slow dilated refraction.
Why dilated refraction?
Children, adolescents and some adults with abnormal ocular accommodative ability, if the pupil is not dilated during refraction, the ciliary muscle of children or adolescents will adjust itself when the ciliary muscle is not completely relaxed during the refraction process, enhancing the refractive ability of the eye, resulting in inaccurate refraction results. If you follow inaccurate refraction results, it is easy to promote the development of myopia. Dilated refraction can help determine whether the eye is "true" or "pseudomyopia" and get more accurate refraction results.
In short, dilated refraction is the only way to determine a child's true refraction!
Are mydriatic drugs harmful to the eyes?
Dilated refraction is a safe examination method, mydriatic drugs are not harmful to the eyes, the effect of these drugs is temporary, under the strict guidance of the doctor, do not need to worry too much.
What are the precautions after using mydriatic medications?
1.Because the pupils can be dilated by drugs, it is normal to have photophobia and difficulty seeing, and bright light stimulation should be avoided during this period, and sunhats or sunglasses should be worn outdoors.
2.Avoid near eye use, such as reading a book or using a computer, during mydriasis.
3.The dilated pupil can be restored, and the recovery time varies depending on the drug. In general, slow mydriatic agents are about 3 weeks after administration, and rapid mydriatic drugs are about 4-6 hours after treatment, and the pupil recovery time will vary from person to person.
4.A very small number of children with obvious facial flushing, thirst, fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, constipation, visual hallucinations, spasms, excitement, eyelid edema and other symptoms after pupil dilation are considered to be adverse reactions of atropine, and the drug should be stopped immediately and an ophthalmologist should be consulted.
Therefore, if children really plan to optometry and glasses, they should first go to a regular hospital for pupil dilation, and there is no need to worry about affecting normal learning. Choosing to wear glasses instead of dilated refraction is an irresponsible practice that can harm your child's eyes.