Eye drops that dilate the pupil for cosmetic purposes. How do pupil dilation drops work and how to use them correctly? Review of drops for pupil dilation

If a person has had to deal with visual impairment and undergo an examination by an ophthalmologist, most likely he knows that the fundus of the eye is examined to make an accurate diagnosis. The procedure is performed using special equipment and special preparations that have a dilating effect on the pupil. Drops for pupil dilation are used primarily for diagnostic purposes, but are also prescribed as a remedy for certain diseases. Eye drops of this kind are not safe, they give a number of side effects, so it is important to know exactly who, which ones, at what dosage they are dripped, how much they work, whether there can be consequences.

Types and description

Eye drops for dilating the pupil in ophthalmology are called mydriatics. They are of two types:

Direct mydriatics, dilating the pupil by acting on the radial muscle, which increases the diameter of the pupil (Phenylephrine, Irifrin).
Indirect mydriatics, when using which the expansion of the pupils begins due to the relaxation of the circular muscle that controls the constriction of the pupil and its focus (Tropicamide, Midrum, Cyclomed).

By increasing the diameter of the pupil, the oculist gets the opportunity to study in detail the internal structures of the eye - the lens, retina, blood vessels, optic nerves - and identify such retinal detachments or dystrophic changes. Preparations for dilating the pupil and relaxing the muscles responsible for focusing the visual image make it possible to determine the level of refraction and correctly select corrective optical devices for children with low vision. They are also used in the treatment of certain ophthalmic pathologies:

amblyopia;
spasm of accommodation;
iritis;
iridocyclitis;
inflammatory processes in the organs of vision.

After instillation, the effect lasts up to four hours, then the pupils constrict on their own. The duration of exposure depends on the composition of the drug and the dose administered. To study the eyes of newborns and young children, solutions with a weaker concentration of the active substance are used.

If the drops are prescribed for the purpose of treatment, then the pupils dilate for the duration of the entire course - from a week to two weeks. In this case, after the introduction of drops, the patient may complain of symptoms such as photophobia, lacrimation, decreased visual acuity. Such drugs are more powerful, respectively, the list of side effects and contraindications is longer. Uncontrolled use leads to the most serious complications, up to severe intoxication of the patient's body. Medicines of this group are available at the pharmacy by prescription.

Worth knowing: it has been noted that in people with a light shade of the iris, the time of action of pupil dilating drugs is longer than in dark-eyed people.

Short review

In order for the use of such drops to pass without serious consequences for the patient, it is categorically not recommended to select the drug and instill it on your own, even if you can buy it at a pharmacy without a doctor's prescription. A brief overview of the most popular drops will help the patient navigate the appointments, and no more.

Pupil dilating drops are not sold in a pharmacy without a prescription, they are used mainly in medical institutions, clinics and hospitals

Atropine

This substance has been known for a long time. In the 19th century, women of the world, specifically to attract the attention of men, buried their eyes in their eyes so that they become moist and shiny. The risk of side effects was not taken into account. Today, this tool is used for completely different purposes.

One of the most toxic and almost no longer used mydriatics in ophthalmology is Atropine.

The main active ingredient is an alkaloid of organic origin utrophin sulfate. The substance acts on the oculomotor nerve, paralyzing it for a while, due to this, the pupils begin to expand. Atropine is used to examine the eye and to treat certain pathologies, such as uevitis. Immediately after the drug has been instilled, the following side symptoms may occur:

temporary loss of vision;
feeling of discomfort;
dizziness;
cardiopalmus.

Atropine is a highly toxic drug, so it is used less and less in modern ophthalmology.

Contraindications to the use of drops:

diseases of the genitourinary system;
dysfunction of the digestive system;
pathology of the heart and blood vessels.

Depending on the number of drops introduced, their action lasts from a couple of hours to ten days.

In pharmacies, this substance is available under the names Midrium or Tropicamide. Midriacil acts almost immediately after administration, the action lasts no more than a few hours. In such a short period, side effects do not have time to develop, therefore, these drops are recommended for diagnostic examination and treatment of young children and newborns.

If you want to examine a small child, it is preferable to use drugs whose active ingredient is midriacil

Contraindications for use:

inflammatory processes of the organs of vision;
high intraocular pressure.

The tool is used to assess refraction, study the fundus, during surgical operations on the lens.

This tool also has a short time of action and a minimum of side effects, it is allowed to be used with increased intraocular pressure. Contraindications: patients of childhood and old age, persons suffering from diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

Irifrin is one of the drugs that is suitable for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Cyclomed

The most popular drug today from the group of means for dilating pupils. Drops act from six to twelve hours, however, they are prescribed to women during the period of bearing and feeding a child.

This drug is widely used both in the treatment of ophthalmic diseases and in their diagnosis, it is well tolerated with high efficiency.

Cyclomed is used for diagnostic examination, treatment of uevitis, scleritis, as well as during various surgical interventions on the organs of vision, for example, during cataract removal.

Contraindications:

children's age up to three years;
advanced age over 55;
diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

Cyclomed is not used for intestinal obstruction and prostate adenoma.

These drops have a long list of contraindications:

the period of bearing and feeding a child;
pancreatitis;
atherosclerosis;
hepatitis.

Mezaton is not always well tolerated by patients, gives side effects, so it is used extremely rarely.

The drug is not used in pediatrics, it is used as an alternative remedy in cases where, for some reason, it is impossible to use other drugs.

Appamid Plus

As part of this drug, there are two active ingredients: phenylephrine and tropicamide. The action of the drops begins a few minutes after administration and lasts no more than three hours. Diabetes mellitus, thyrotoxicosis, arrhythmia, angina pectoris, pregnancy and lactation, old age and childhood are the main contraindications to their use. It is used only when it is necessary to examine the patient.

Another drop for dilating the pupils of fast and short-term action - from an hour to two, depending on the amount of the injected drug. For this reason, drops are also used only for diagnostic purposes; they are not suitable for the treatment of ophthalmic pathologies.

The effect of dilated pupils after the use of this drug lasts only one to two hours

What else do you need to know

Mydriatics are characterized by the ability, when instilled into the eyes, to quickly penetrate the retina and lens into the general bloodstream and spread throughout the body. This is the reason for the large number of side effects and contraindications. When using drugs of this group, you should prepare for such possible side effects:

double vision;
blurred vision;
increased intraocular pressure;
burning, discomfort;
thirst with difficulty urinating;
increase in body temperature;
irritability, anxiety.

Before the introduction of mydriatics, the doctor always warns the patient about possible side effects.

Locally, the conjunctiva may turn red, sometimes there are swelling of the eyelid, increased lacrimation. Usually all these symptoms disappear by themselves when the effect of the drug wears off or when it ends. But in some cases, the patient requires symptomatic treatment after the use of mydriatics. Vasoconstrictor and vasodilator drugs are used to help relax the eye muscles or, conversely, return them to tone. Therefore, if you experience any atypical symptoms, you should immediately consult an ophthalmologist.

An overdose is possible if eye drops from the mydriatic group are used for a long time for treatment, or if the patient himself injected a larger amount of the drug. Doctors are usually well informed about serious side effects, so they administer the minimum dose of the drug for exactly the time that they need for the examination.

With an overdose of mydriatics, the following symptoms are possible:

Dry skin and mucous membranes.
Digestive disorders.
Tachycardia - rapid heartbeat and pulse.
Violation of the coherence of speech.

In this case, vasoconstrictor eye drops help restore pupil size and relieve discomfort. With manifestations of intoxication, the patient should be hospitalized and symptomatic treatment should be carried out.

Conclusion. Mydriatics are drugs that are indispensable in modern ophthalmic diagnostics and treatment. Only with pupils dilated to a certain diameter can a doctor accurately examine the state of the lens, retina, optic nerve, blood vessels, identify existing pathologies, determine the degree of refraction and make a correct diagnosis. Before using the drug, the doctor always informs the patient how much the pupil narrows and how long the drug will last, what side effects may bother and what to do in this case. Self-medication in this case can lead to health-threatening consequences.

To perform a qualitative diagnosis of the eye, it is necessary to forcefully expand the pupil. To do this, use special eye drops to dilate the pupils, which allow for a high-quality and complete diagnosis. In this article, we will tell you what drops for pupil dilation exist, show the list and appointment of ophthalmologists.

What are the drops for pupil dilation?

What drops to dilate pupils exist

At the moment, there are two types of drops that are actively used in ophthalmology:

Those that contract muscles while increasing pupil size. Such drops are called direct mydriatics. The main means should include: Irifrin, Phenylephrine.
The second group works differently, it relaxes the muscle that is responsible for the narrowing of the pupil diameter. Such a muscle is responsible for the focus of the eye, respectively, after taking a short-term loss of vision. Drops of this group are also prescribed for spasm of accommodation of the eye.

When to use eye drops

Pupil dilation is necessary in a situation where an eye diagnosis is indicated. The internal structures of the eye are studied there, among the main ones it is worth highlighting:

The lens of the eye.
Retina.
Vessels.
Optic nerve and others.

Also, such drops allow you to avoid mistakes when choosing high-quality glasses for children. Because they relax the muscle responsible for focusing the image.

In some situations, drops to dilate the pupils are also used for diseases:

Amblyopia.
Inflammatory diseases of the eye.
Spasm of accommodation.

Eye drops for pupil dilation: list

Please note that only ophthalmologists can prescribe eye drops for pupil dilation. An independent decision in such a situation should not be applied.

Now there are several effective remedies that are often prescribed by doctors:

How long do drops work to dilate pupils

The average duration of action is 3-4 hours. Then gradually the result begins to subside, the dilated pupil looks like this:

What does a dilated pupil look like?

Pay attention! In people with light eyes, the effect of taking it lasts longer than in brown-eyed people.

And if drops of this type are prescribed to young children, then the dosage is reduced. Often doctors use other means, so as not to harm a small body.

Side effects after taking

You should also clearly understand that there are a lot of side effects after taking such drops. Among the main ones are:

Photophobia.
Burning.
Feeling of discomfort.
Lachrymation.

All funds are sold only by prescription of a doctor, you cannot buy them yourself! Also, you should not take them without a prescription, even if you do it for prevention purposes.

Also, for our subscribers, we found a video that will help you visually understand how the pupil expands and why it is needed.

3764 04/02/2019 3 min.

The desire to see well often leads almost all of us to ophthalmologists. Therapy of eye pathologies in many cases is impossible without diagnostics, and it, in turn, often requires special training, because it is not so easy to look into the middle of the eye.

Among the drugs that help prepare our visual organs for examination, one should separately name eye drops that dilate the pupils, the so-called mydriatics, without which it is difficult to make a correct diagnosis.

Midriatics practice in ophthalmology:

in preparation for diagnosis- the expansion of the eye pupil with their help allows the doctor to carefully examine the bottom of the eyeball, its lens, blood vessels, nerve, in a timely manner to recognize a difficult ailment - retinal detachment. Reviews of tealoz drops can be found on ours;
the need to relax the visual muscle- which is especially indicated in connection with the need to select glasses for children;
in order to prepare for surgical treatment or carry out correction using a laser;
during medical procedures - especially with false myopia, amblyopia (lazy eye syndrome), pathologies of various inflammatory nature. used in lens replacement surgery.

All these indicated cases involve personal selection by the attending physician of the concentration of the drug, its dosing and the number of installations, the duration of the therapeutic course. Information about the analogues of Novanak drops can be found on ours.

Choice of drops and duration of action

Drops that expand the pupil of the eye are available in two versions:

straight- intended directly for the contractile functions of the radial muscles ( Irifrin and Phenylephrine);
indirect- in addition to contractile functions and pupil dilation, they debug the focusing of the eyes, which is especially important for such ailments as false myopia. The most famous representatives of this group Cyclomed, , Midrum.

Each of these drugs has its own duration of action, except for those used directly for diagnosis. Their action, as a rule, is provided for a certain time, which is usually enough to conduct a study and correctly determine the diagnosis. is quite an effective remedy.

Such drops are used to study the eye also in newborns, especially those who were born prematurely.

Overview of mydriatics

Among the most popular such drugs that are actively used today in ophthalmology are:

It is also important to know that for those suffering from glaucoma, any drops intended to dilate the pupils are not prescribed.

Ophthalmoscopy, as well as surgical interventions, is far from the full application of the eye drops considered in this material. A significant part of them, in addition to preparing for diagnosis, is practiced in parallel for the treatment of certain eye pathologies. Therefore, such drugs are used only according to a medical prescription. It is categorically impossible to appoint them yourself, so as not to aggravate the situation even more.

In order to start treating eye diseases, you must first diagnose them. In addition to the instrumental methods used, preparations are often used to prepare the eyes for examination. The group of these medicines includes eye drops that dilate the pupils and are called mydriatics in ophthalmology. Without these drops, it is almost impossible to diagnose many eye diseases. These medicines are also used to treat various ailments. Indications for the use of drops that dilate the pupil, types of drugs and the duration of their action.

What are midriatics for?

Let's first define what the pupil of the eye is. There is a hole in the iris of the eye, which is called the pupil. Through this hole, light enters the eye, which then enters the retinal membrane. The pupil changes in size not only under the influence of mydriatics, but also due to lack of illumination or, conversely, due to too bright illumination and other circumstances. In some cases, the pupil tries to protect the eye, such as in very bright flashes of light. The size of the pupil is regulated by 2 muscles of the iris:

Radial, which, depending on the situation, dilates the pupil. This eye muscle is controlled by sympathetic nerves;
Circular- this muscle, on the contrary, narrows it, and parasympathetic nerves control it.

Pupil dilating drops are used to solve two problems:

Types of eye drops to dilate the pupil and the duration of their action

Midriatics are divided into 2 varieties:

Direct capable of contracting the radial muscles. These include the drugs Irifrin and Phenylephrine;
Indirect, affecting the circular muscle by reducing the intensity of its contractions. These drugs can both dilate the pupils and stimulate the adjustment of the focus of the eye. Used, for example, for spasms of accommodation. This group of drugs includes Cyclomed, Tropicamide, Midrum.

Each drug differs in its duration of action, with the exception of drops used for diagnosis, which operate for several hours. This is enough to examine the eye and identify the disease. By the way, mydriatics last longer if a person is light-eyed than when a person has dark eyes. For newborn babies born prematurely, in order to make an accurate diagnosis, the pupils are instilled with less powerful drugs than in adults.

Mydriatics used for treatment last much longer than drugs used to identify the disease - for the full course of fighting the disease. In some cases, the patient experiences discomfort, moreover, if there is a bright light and when under the bright sun, tearing is likely.

Overview of mydriatics

From some medicines that dilate the pupils, medicine decided to abandon, and some, on the contrary, are used in ophthalmology more and more often.

It should be noted that with glaucoma, any drugs that dilate the pupils are contraindicated for use.

Pupil dilation at home

It is not necessary to use drops to dilate the pupils. There are other ways that are based on the physiology of the eye. In order to expand the pupils, close your eyes, imagine that you are now in a dark place. According to scientists, the pupils become larger for a while.

One way to expand the pupil of the eye: you can choose a distant object and try to focus on it, or, on the contrary, defocus your eyes so that everything around is blurry. You will feel as your eyes relax. At home, this is not difficult to do, but it is impossible to follow the result yourself, so ask someone to watch this process or record everything on a video camera.

You can also achieve what you want if you are in a bright room and look at a relatively darker part of the room. In this case, the eye tries to capture and transmit light, resulting in the expansion of the pupils.

From the side of physiology, the mechanism of this method has not yet been explained, but some argue that the expansion of the pupils can be achieved by drawing in the stomach. In this case, the muscles should tighten.

Pupil dilation can also be achieved with the help of thoughts that increase adrenaline. In reality, it is not worth living through a situation leading to pupil dilation, because. it's hard to do it at home. This situation needs to be imagined.

Conclusion

It is impossible to prescribe drugs for yourself without undergoing an examination in any case. Only non-drug methods can be used. They are effective for a short period of time and at the same time can not harm your health.

When examining a patient, the doctor uses an ophthalmoscope. This medical device can detect many problems, but the light emitted by the device affects the pupil, and it narrows, which prevents the examination of the eyeball.

They solve this problem using special drops that relax the muscles well and help: eliminate inflammation of the conjunctiva; identify dystrophic changes; assess the condition of the retina.

Means that expand the diameter of the lens and make it immobile for a while are used to determine the angle of refraction in babies. They bury their eyes before the operation.

Indications for appointment

Thanks to the pupil, which is located in the iris and resembles a black circle, light penetrates into the visual organ and, refracted, enters the retina. Two types of iris muscles regulate its size, the radial ones expand, and the circular ones narrow.

Drugs that change the size of the pupil are used to treat and prevent eye pathologies. They eliminate spasm of accommodation, help to detect myopia and farsightedness, and are used for vision correction.

Drops are prescribed after surgery to prevent the development of inflammation. They are used in the treatment of amblyopia, iridocyclitis. Such tools help to choose the right contact lenses or glasses.

When examining the fundus, mydriasis is required

You will find instructions for using Oksial eye drops.

Selection, types and duration of drops

Pupil dilating drugs are used when it is necessary to penetrate into the fundus of the eye, to determine its condition. For this, medicines are used that act for several hours, usually no more than three.

When a comprehensive examination is carried out, which allows you to choose optics, the oculist instills an agent in the eyes, which provokes the occurrence of a spasm of accommodation, which does not go away within half a day.

Drugs that change the size of the pupil are used to treat the visual organ for more than a week. A person at this time should not drive, read literature, because in order to see normally, he needs to strain his eyes a lot.

Drops are divided into 2 groups: direct and indirect mydriatics.

Direct mydriatics, which include Phenylephrine, reduce the radial muscles, constrict the vessels of the outer shell, and accelerate the outflow of intraocular fluid.

Homeopathic remedy used in eye pathology -.

Direct mydriatics, such as phenylephrine, are used:

with complex diagnostics;
during preparation for surgery;
with laser therapy of the fundus;

After instillation, irritation is eliminated, conjunctival hyperemia disappears.

Most Effective

Atropine, which is considered an indirect mydriatic, was used by girls who instilled their eyes with this remedy, since the enlarged pupil made them expressive and large.

Atropine relaxes the circular muscle well, but recently other agents with a similar effect have come to replace it, since it has many drawbacks.

M-holinoblokator

After instillation, vision decreases, discomfort and other unpleasant phenomena occur, which disappear only after a week.

The indication for the use of Midriacil drops, the main component of which is tropicamide, is:

Examination of the fundus.
Determination of the angle of refraction.
Treatment of adhesions and inflammation.

The drug rarely causes allergies than it begins to act about twenty minutes after instillation, which allows the optometrist to understand why vision is deteriorating. After 6 hours, the person already sees normally. Drops are not assigned to young children; old people need to use them carefully, because sometimes:

There is dizziness.
Feel dry mouth.
The pulse speeds up or slows down.
Reddened conjunctiva.

Cyclomed blocks cholinergic receptors, relaxing the circular muscle, dilates the pupil. The action of the drops lasts up to 12 hours.

Instructions for natural antiseptic eye drops Okuflash are presented.

Alpha-agonist for local use in ophthalmology

Tsmklomed is allowed to be used by women who are carrying and breastfeeding a child. The agent, the active component of which is, is prescribed to determine refraction, before cataract surgery, in the treatment of uveitis, keratitis, iridocyclitis.

Mezaton produced on the basis of Phenylephrine. It reduces the blood vessels of the eye, easily penetrates the tissues, dilates the pupil within a quarter of an hour.

It is used to examine the anterior and posterior chambers, treat uveitis and iridocyclitis. It is not prescribed for diabetes, thyroid problems, liver pathologies.

Irifrin increases pupil diameter by contracting the radial muscles. It is used in the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases, but does not last long.

Appamid Plus it is used for the same purpose, it has an effect already 5 minutes after instillation, after two hours, vision returns to normal. Despite the effectiveness, there are quite a few contraindications for drops.

Angioprotector that reduces the permeability of the vascular wall -.

Active ingredient: phenylephrine hydrochloride

When there is no time to battle with allergies -.

Prices and reviews

Means that dilate the pupil have a different cost and active ingredients. Some of them do not require a prescription in pharmacies, but this does not mean that you can prescribe mydriatics yourself.

Ophthalmic analogue of Miramistin -.

Active ingredient: tropicamide

Indications for the appointment of antibacterial eye drops Tsiprolet are presented.

Ophthalmologists say that drops that dilate the pupil make it possible to identify many eye pathologies, however, with the wrong choice or overdose of the drug, unpleasant phenomena often occur.

Tatyana Sergeevna, 28 years old, Astrakhan:“In the spring, the baby caught an infection. In addition to a runny nose and cough, the child's eye turned red and inflamed. The doctor advised me to buy Cyclomed drops. The son easily endured the procedure, he did not complain about anything. We cured conjunctivitis in 5 days.”
Elena Nikolaevna, 36 years old, Feodosia:“I have been wearing glasses for a long time, and after giving birth, my vision began to drop sharply. The optometrist prescribed a course of treatment with Irifrin to narrow the dilated vessels. After two weeks, I began to see better. The doctor recommended 2 times a year to bury the eyes with this remedy.
Andrey Maksimovich, 48, Nizhny Novgorod:“Not so long ago I had laser vision correction. At first everything was fine, but over time, the pain began to torment. The doctor revealed a spasm of accommodation and prescribed Midriacil. I dripped it at night. The condition improved quickly, vision was restored.

The action comes on quickly and lasts max 2 hours

Broad spectrum antibiotic.

Video

This video will tell you about Irifrin pupil dilation drops.

Medicines that dilate the pupils temporarily cause discomfort. But a replacement for mydriatics in the diagnosis of ophthalmic diseases has not yet been found. These drops not only reveal a violation in the retina, a change in refraction, allow you to explore the entire fundus of the eye, but are also used in the treatment of uveitis, keratitis, iritis, in vision correction, and relieve spasm of accommodation. In our other articles you can read about .