Eye exam, dilation and sun exposure? Eye pressure?

[teatimecoffeetime]

Is getting your eyes dilated subsequent months apart safe? Can this damage the eyes? I had it done in July and again now in August (yesterday). Also, the pressure last time was 19 mm Hg. Is this too high for a 19 year old?  Also, afterwards, I had to sit in the car out in the sun for 30 minutes to wait on my family in the grocery store. So, I had my eyes shaded with glasses and closed my lids the majority of the time. But the front two windows were opened. I later decided to put my head near the back seat and shield my eyes as much as I could with my hands as well as the sunglasses. How do I know if I have damaged my eyes by sitting in the hot sun so long? I suffer from chronic dry eyes and I also have a pinguecula and there are little bumps on my inner lower lids today also. The inner part of my eye is very itchy at times and stings or burns. Do the dilation drops irritate the eyes at all? Furthermore, two types of eye drops were administered for dilation.

[Timothy D McGarity, M.D.]

It is very rare for dilation to harm your eyes. If you have narrow angles or narrow angle glaucoma (rare) or you are allergic to the 2 different dilating drops, then I would say it is not safe to dilate routinely. You have not damaged your eyes by being in the sunlight as long as you didn't purposefully "stare" at the sunlight for more than 2 minutes straight. You should be fine though the effects of dilation can sometimes last for more than 2 days.

Sincerely,
Timothy D. McGarity, M.D.

[teatimecoffeetime]

Thank you so much for your input. I appreciate you taking the time to answer my question.