How can I dilute dilating eye drops?

I need to have my annual eye exam, but my eyes are super-sensitive to the dilating drops, and in the past I've had problems with too much dilation lasting way too long.  If you have a particular recommendation for an ophthalmologist in Rockville, MD, please let me know.  Anyway, since she didn't have any lower strength drops, we put off the exam with the plan that I will buy a pharmaceutical-grade dropper bottle and unpreserved saline solution for contact-wearers at CVS and bring them with me next time and we will dilute the dilating drops ourselves.  I'm wondering, what kind of dilating drops should I request, is saline solution for contacts ok to dilute it with, how much to dilute, and any tips on technique.

Thank you!!

[Houman Vosoghi, MD]

Saline is OK but I'm surprised your doctor can't do that in clinic for you.  I find patients do a lot better with just 2.5% phenylephrine and no tropicamide as far as it effecting their vision.  If even that is too strong for you, there are pediatric formulations out there that may be weaker.  The easiest thing to do probably is just take 2.5% phenylephrine and dilute it 50:50 with saline.  Usually though 2.5% phenylephrine is very well tolerated and I've rarely had to dilute further than that for patient comfort.  So check what you were given last visit.

HV