Getting regular eye exams is an important way to monitor your optical and general health. Part of a thorough eye exam is pupil dilation, which is accomplished by putting eye drops in the eye which will force your pupil to stay open, even in bright light. Pupil dilation is not uncomfortable, but it does represent a loss of part of your day, as the drops take approximately 30 minutes to work, and you will have difficulty seeing for around an hour after your exam, until the drops have stopped working. Some patients question whether or not they need pupil dilation with every eye exam.