Symptoms seem significantly reduced while my eye are dilated?!?

ocean10

So I just got back from an eye exam at an ophthalmologist (had the exam as a step toward trying to get a neuro-ophthalmologist referral.)

Part of my exam involved getting my eyes dilated. Right now I'm typing on a computer that has been giving me pretty bad symptoms. Typically I get uncomfortable even glancing at OLED iPhones but I noticed that my colleague's phone was sitting on her desk and didn't seem to bother me like it usually did (iPhone 14 Pro Max). I borrowed it and was able to use it for 4-5 minutes. She also had an iPhone 12 and I used it as well. I'm not sure I was completely symptom free while looking at the phone (kind of hard to tell completely because my eyes are "off" from the dilation eye drops) but it was by far the most I've ever been able to look at an OLED screen. It sort of feels like I'm a "normal" person again like when I could look at any screen without issues years ago. I also tend to get a residual dizziness/nausea/unpleasant discomfort after looking at a bad device but I don't seem to have that now.

As background, my symptoms are pretty strong and severe with OLED phones and have recently become pretty strong with my previously safe old computers (I believe a recent Windows update changed something which makes previously safe Windows devices also give me symptoms). I also can't use many newer LCD Apple devices or old ones that are updated beyond early iOS 15 and iOS 16 versions (my daily phone is an iPhone SE3 on iOS 16.1.1.

It's hard to describe just how different all this devices feel right now. I'll have to do some research as to why this could be?

Has anyone else ever experienced this?

At the very least I wanted to share as a data point.

KM

I think what hurts when we have eye strain is the eye muscles that for whatever reason have done (or are doing) too much work. So when they are relaxed, they are not doing much work and can't hurt.

jordan

My eye doctor prescribed diluted atropine drops to use every night to keep eyes relaxed during the day. It helps many of his patients who use computers. It helped relax my eyes but wasnt the 100% fix for screens. Unfortunately it messed with my breathing so was told to quit taking it.

ocean10

jordan Interesting. This is my fourth eye doctor (of various types) and nobody has even mentioned or hinted at that.

Lauda89

jordan But did you see an improvement in your symptoms? Do you remember how much diluted? 0,05? 0,01? Thank you 🙂

jordan

ocean10 not many know but I guess it's used (diluted formula) as a myopia treatment normally. My doc seems to have good responses to it helping his patients who work at Microsoft, as he told me.

ocean10

jordan

That's interesting. I've been near sighted since I was very young and I don't think I've ever had that mentioned to me. Are you in the United States?

photon78s

The side affects of Atropine are listed including breathing. Quite significant imo.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/20729-atropine-eye-solution

I have also never heard of this for myopia. Interesting study below:

Topical Atropine for Childhood Myopia ControlThe Atropine Treatment Long-Term Assessment Study

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/article-abstract/2812372

technicalitch

imho its about pupil but what causes that i dont know. i have huge pupil pain while looking at these screens. we need to think what causes this pain and whole process and how eye work and why its painful.