adverse reaction to anaesthetic drops?

[eva b]

I know I've read many people on here saying they've had various bad reactions to all sorts of drops - fluorescein etc - as I have myself.

I'd be interested to hear how many have had an aggravation of dryness or irritation after having aneasthetic drops instilled for exams or procedures.

I have some loose conjunctiva in one eye, and fluid collects in between it and the sclera, causing some discomfort. My optometrist has said it's not dangerous or worrying - and it does go away eventually, but keeps coming back.

He's offered to puncture and drain it for me - but I'm very reluctant to have this done cos he'd probably want to use anaesthetic....

any comments?

[Lucy]

Yes, Eva.........
I used to ask my doctor to skip the numbing drops because the side effect of burning eyes was worse than what ever he was doing....ie. inserting a plug. I've had numbing drops more recently for minor things and it didn't seem to bother me. It was closer to my lasik surgery that it was really bad. I still do not like numbing drops.

[jlg_uk]

I think so - last time such drops were used a student in the room commented how red it made my eyes. I looked in the mirror and yes - my eyes went very injected (they are OKish usually). They even put saline in my eyes to wash it away.

[SallyP]

Indeed, every time they put anaeshetic drops in my eye, it makes me bad for about 3-5 days after, and I will certainly do all I can to avoid having them put in again. Also, having the punctum plugs in agrivates them too, and I feel like I've got a piece of grit in both eyes for about a week. In fact it made them so bad, I considered asking them to remove them. I persevered and they have either settled down, or my rubbing has removed them

[gz9gjg]

Whenever I get an eye exam, I make sure the doctor inserts drops, not the assistants.
I find that the assistants "throw" the drops at you - have me tilt my head back and bomb my eyes with drops, which then splash about an don't really get into my eyes. Very annoying.

Instead, I apply pressure below my eye to pull my lower lids away from the eyeball, making a pouch. The doctor can then place the drops, and they don't splash out.

I explain that the drops make my eyes dry and irritated, ans that my eyes dilate really fast and stay that way up to 3 days. I ask they use only one drop each of whatever they want to put in.

My regular OD uses 1 drop of Flucaine, 1 drop of Tropicamide 1%
and 1 drop of Phenylephrine 2.5%, for dilation and numbing.

[SallyP]

Actually, I never thought to ask the consultant to put the drops in. When I had them done last week, the assistant (nurse) put them so carelessly in my eyes, it dripped down, and I only just managed to stop it going on to my clothes, as I had a tissue in my hand.