I've had this happen before when getting my eyes checked and I'm only 28. It was always after they had dilated my eyes that I would feel nauseas. Then I had an eye exam a couple days ago (my last one was 5yrs ago). It was right after receiving the numbing drops for the glaucoma test (not the eye puff one) that I almost instantly became nauseas and thus light headed. I had previously thought it was the stuff used for dilating, but now realize its the numbing drops that I reacted to. It doesn't take long for it to wear off and that's about when I started feeling better...5-10 minutes? It was definitely embarassing, but if I look back on my labor with my most recent kid, I had a drop in blood pressure thus nauseated feeling after receiving my epidural. My own thinking is that I just have a heightened sensitivity/reaction to any anesthetic. I've never had surgery, but I can say I would more than likely be sick aftwards. What's weird is that I have no reaction to novacaine shots. Would like to get a doctors opinion on this now after having to go through this ordeal at my last eye exam...we couldn't even finish it! But at least the doctor was understanding and told me she's seen reactions to the dye and/or dilating drops, so its very possible to have the same with the numbing drops. Hope that makes those who had a reaction feel better.