Dilated pupils, blurred vision

[hyunnyc]

I have been wearing my contacts to sleep for the last couple of days and today i took my contacts out and wore my glasses for a bit. When i put my contacts back in and was going about my daily life with no problem. But, in the afternoon, I picked up a book to read and found myself unable to see the text. The words were very blurry and I soon saw that I was having difficulty seeing things/details up close. The computer screen as well as my cellphone screen are both very blurry and all this straining is giving me a headache. I first thought it was a problem with my contacts but when i looked at myself in the mirror I saw that my pupils were extremely dilated. It is now almost 10 pm and my pupils are still dilated!!! It doesnt change with more or less light and I am getting worried. This has never happened to me before and I was just wondering if this is a common thing. Should I be worried? Can you just wake up with dilated pupils? pleasee help!

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

It could be that you got some sort of eyedrop like visine or atropine in the eyes or the contacts and caused the eyes to be blurry up close and with dilated pupils.  Look in your drawers for a drop with a red top (cyclogyl, atropine, homatropine, scopoloamine - these are all prescription strength dilating drops.)  If that is not found to be the cause, you need to call your eye doctor right away.

MJK MD

[hyunnyc]

if its caused by eyedrops how long will this last?