Alcohol, cocaine, and marijuana may cause bloodshot eyes since these substances cause the blood vessels around the pupils to expand.įirst responders use a resource, the Drug Recognition Card, developed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. If your friend or family member displays this symptom, call 911 as it could indicate an overdose. The pupils get smaller and do not respond to light. Some drugs, most commonly opioids such as heroin, cause pinpoint pupils. This symptom tends to wear off, along with the other effects of the drug. Pupil dilation is also associated with heroin and opioid withdrawal. However, this symptom can result from ingesting alcohol, mescaline, cocaine, ecstasy, LSD, psilocybin, MDMA, amphetamines, cannabis, inhalants, narcotics, hallucinogens, bath salts, ketamine, and SSRI antidepressants. Stimulants and psychotropic substances most commonly cause pupil dilation. This chemical reaction leads to mydriasis, the muscle relaxation that allows the eye’s pupil to expand and let in more light. Some substances trigger the body’s fight or flight adrenaline response by interacting with serotonin and adrenergic receptors in the brain. Learn more about what drugs cause dilated pupils as well as other potential red flags for addiction. No matter what’s causing your pupils to be irregularly sized, you should see your provider as soon as possible.Are you concerned about signs of drug use in your child or another loved one? Dilated pupils, an enlargement of the black portion of the center of the eye, are one common symptom of substance use. This distinction isn’t as important as getting your symptoms evaluated right away. Your healthcare provider will classify your anisocoria as either pathological (caused by a disease) or physiological (caused by something malfunctioning inside your body). Injuries and trauma to your head, eyes or the arteries that supply blood to them.Eyedrops, scopolamine skin patches and some other medicines.Īnisocoria can also be caused by serious, life-threatening conditions, including:.What causes anisocoria?Īnisocoria can be caused by a lot of conditions in your body, injuries, traumas and even some medicines. You might also still need imaging tests to rule out one of the causes of anisocoria that can be life threatening. If that’s the case, you still need the change in your eyes examined by a provider. You might have symptoms outside your eyes too, including:ĭepending on what’s causing the anisocoria, you might have no symptoms. Go to the emergency room if one pupil is bigger than the other and you experience any of the following: If one pupil can’t adjust to light like it usually does, you might have trouble seeing clearly, or you might be light sensitive in your affected eye.Īnisocoria can be accompanied by serious symptoms. Other than physically looking out of proportion, the difference in size might affect your vision. Usually, one of your pupils will be different enough from the other that you can notice it in a mirror. The most obvious way anisocoria affects your body is one of your pupils is bigger than the other. Talk to your provider about what you should expect if your child’s pupils are different sizes at birth. Experts estimate that around 15% of people experience anisocoria at some point in their lives. How common is anisocoria?Īnisocoria can affect anyone. That’s why you should talk to your provider as soon as you notice any changes in your eyes or vision. It can cause a drooping eyelid ( ptosis), irregular pupils and a lack of sweating on half your face.īoth anisocoria and Horner’s syndrome can be caused by serious, life-threatening conditions like a stroke, brain aneurysm or some cancers. Horner’s syndrome is a rare genetic condition that affects the tissue around your eyes. Some are temporary, but some can be life-threatening. Anisocoria can be caused by lots of conditions. It’s similar to the way you might see swelling in your body referred to as edema. Horner’s syndromeĪnisocoria is the medical term for asymmetric (different sized) pupils. Some people develop anisocoria with no long-term complications, but it can also be a sign of a much more dangerous issue in your body. Visit your provider or go to the emergency room if you notice one of your pupils is suddenly larger than the other. It shrinks (contracts) in bright light and expands (dilates) in dim light. It naturally changes size without you noticing or controlling it. The pupil is the black center of your eyes that expands and contracts to help you see in different amounts of light. What is anisocoria?Īnisocoria is the medical term for when one of your pupils is bigger than the other. Anisocoria makes pupils irregularly sized.
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