Slit Lamp Examination

How To Prepare

If you wear glasses or contact lenses, you will need to remove them before the slit lamp examination.

Eyedrops may be used to widen (dilate) your pupils and to numb the surface of your eyes. Before the test, tell your health professional if you have glaucoma or are allergic to dilating or anesthetic eyedrops.

If dilating drops are used, your eyes may be sensitive to light and you will have trouble focusing your eyes for several hours. If you know your eyes will be dilated, you may wish to arrange for someone to drive you home after the test. You also will need to wear sunglasses when you go outside or into a brightly lit room.

Talk to your health professional about any concerns you have regarding the need for the test, its risks, how it will be done, or what the results will indicate. To help you understand the importance of this test, fill out the medical test information form(What is a PDF document?).

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Author:	Alison Allen	Last Updated: August 16, 2007
Medical Review:	Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine Ian MacDonald, MDCM, FRCSC - Ophthalmology Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine
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