Why does the doctor dilate my eyes?
Dilating drops widen the pupil so the retina and optic nerve at the back of the eye can be examined properly. Without dilation a large part of the retina simply cannot be seen.
- Subject
- Surgery journey
- Topic
- Eye tests & scans
- Kind of question
- Why…
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
In more detail
The drops blur your near vision and increase light sensitivity for several hours, which is why driving yourself home afterwards is a bad idea.
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This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- EyeSmart: eye health information for the public
Patient-facing material from the largest ophthalmology professional body, covering conditions, tests and treatments outside refractive surgery.
Used for Cross-checking patient-facing explanations of non-refractive eye conditions; Describing what tests such as dilation and OCT involve.
Link checked 23 September 2026