Duration

The dilation of the pupil for diagnostic purposes, e.g. for examination of the retina, takes only a few hours as already mentioned. By the day after the examination at the latest, the patient can see completely normally again and no longer has any impairments. However, dilation of one or both pupils can also be performed for therapeutic purposes. Especially in the case of inflammation within the eye (e.g. uveitis, an inflammation of the choroid) it may be necessary to dilate the pupils for several hours or days until the danger of adhesion between the iris and the lens is eliminated.

Costs of the examination

The complete examination of the eyes, including the retina, costs 5.83€ according to GOÄ. This includes the dilation of the pupil for the subsequent examination. The costs are usually covered by the respective health insurance company.

What are the alternatives?

As an alternative, some ophthalmological practices now offer examinations with a special camera. In most cases, this camera can image the fundus of the eye despite a normally wide pupil and the doctor can then assess it according to certain criteria. This examination is not possible if the pupil is very narrow or in the case of cataracts (clouding of the lens). However, an examination with special cameras is not necessarily covered by health insurance. This alternative is also not available for pupil dilation for therapeutic purposes, as the dilation is intended to protect against sticking to the lens in the event of inflammation within the eye.

How do I behave after pupil dilation?

Directly after pupil dilation the eye is very sensitive to light. It is recommended to protect the eyes from direct sunlight for the time being. For example, patients should sit with their back to the sun or wear sunglasses for protection.

In addition, visual acuity is still very limited at the beginning, so that working with heavy equipment or other activities that could lead to injuries in poor visibility should not be performed at first. Since the full effect of the modern pupil dilating drugs (especially tropicamide) only lasts for a few hours, the precautions are limited to the day of the examination. However, since the full effect of modern mydriatic medications (especially Tropicamide) only lasts for a few hours, the precautionary measures are limited to the day of the examination.

Driving a car or motorcycle is also not possible at first due to the limited visual acuity. The same rules apply here as for the operation of machines, i.e. driving a car is strictly prohibited for the first hours (3-4h at least) after the pupil dilation. It is recommended not to drive a car or motorcycle for the rest of the day to minimize any risk for yourself and other road users.