use of dilating eye drops at home

I'm getting very worried about using cyclopentolate 1% three times a day for three days and then on the morning of the surgery. My eye will be dilated for over three days. I haven't read about anyone prescribing this and the drug company doesn't have indications for this use. I've put them in three times already and am getting afraid to continue. His office says he does this to reduce inflamation (inflammation). Is this safe for one's eye?

[Houman Vosoghi, MD]

No real harm to your eye most likely and we do use it like this sometimes.  Discuss it with your surgeon to be sure exactly why you need it (probably depends on the kind of surgery you are having).

HV

[interestedinu2]

Thank you for your comment. I'm going in for cataract surgery tomorrow. His office staff said he prescribes this for all of his patients. I've just gotta put my faith in his method, I guess. What you responded does help with my anxiety about this matter!

[Houman Vosoghi, MD]

How did the surgery go?

[interestedinu2]

The surgery portion went well--no pain pills needed, and the hospital experience was very good. It's three days past the operation right now. I'm experiencing frequent light flickering, changes in vision (including double), a little redness, and a "ping" of pain once in a while. I've been told these are all normal (I hope). I'm on Tobradex, Flurbiprofen, and a pressure lowering drug. I was told I could take a shower right away and resume normal activities except for gardening and heavy housework. There was no advice about not bending over.

When you look on the web, you see so many different ways of handling these operations and post care, which can lead to questioning your own physician. I wish mine would have given me a brochure with thorough explanations as to why he does things the way he does. That would help alleviate patients' anxiety. I