Here are some different drugs that cause dilated pupils.Īdderall is prescribed to treat medical conditions like attention-hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. Drugs can reduce the response to this system, resulting in larger than normal pupils. When a person activates this system, the pupils get smaller to reduce the amount of new information the body needs to evaluate. The rest-and-digest system is the opposite of the sympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic response is the part of the body that doctors call the “rest-and-digest” system. More information from the eyes allows the body to make a better judgment about the fear or stress. If a person is afraid in the dark, the pupils usually get bigger to let in more light to see the surroundings better. Examples include increasing the heart rate to pump more blood to the heart, lungs, and brain. The body signals itself in several ways to escape the situation. Fight-or-flight is usually triggered when a person feels a significant amount of stress, anxiety, or fear. There are two key systems in the body that control pupil size.ĭoctors also call this the fight-or-flight mechanism. That is why you should always talk to a doctor regarding possible medical conditions or concerns. Dilated pupils are potentially a sign of a serious medical condition, not just a substance use disorder. Parents often notice dilated pupils before other signs of drug use. Only 33% of nurses correctly identified pictures of people with pupils larger than 4 millimeters.ĭon’t Assume Drugs Caused the Dilated Pupils The study’s researchers found that the larger a person’s pupils were, the less likely a person was to estimate them correctly. Nurses were asked to evaluate pupils by looking at pictures and by observing patients. This condition could signal brain damage or a stroke.Īccording to an article in the American Journal of Critical Care Medicine, even medical professionals have a hard time telling the difference in pupil size. When a person’s pupils are different sizes, doctors call this anisocoria. Otherwise, the failure to change in size could signal a serious medical condition. Pupils and the reflexes that control vision should get smaller when a person shines a light to them. But, it’s still normal for a person to have pupils that are about 1 millimeter different in size. Most people have pupils that are the same size. According to the American Journal of Critical Care Medicine, most people’s pupils are somewhere between 2 and 6 millimeters in size. When estimating how big around a person’s pupils are, doctors usually measure pupil size in millimeters. There are three main considerations when evaluating pupils. It’s not necessary to be a doctor to tell if a person has dilated pupils or to assess a person’s pupils. When the pupils get larger (such as, a result of drug abuse), a person may have a hard time seeing things further away. The pupils are also usually smaller when a person is trying to see something up close. When the pupil is larger, more light comes in. When the pupil is smaller, less light comes in. There are special muscles in the eye that make the pupil larger or smaller to let different amounts of light enter and strike the retina. When light hits the retina, the light is absorbed, giving the pupil its dark color. Pupils get bigger to help light come into the next part of the eye, known as the retina. The pupil is the black or dark part of the eye located in the center of the eye. Usually, they will go back to normal once the effects of a particular drug wear off. But, dilated pupils shouldn’t permanently damage a person’s vision. Dilated pupils is also a well known sign that something is wrong, and may attract attention from other people.
It’s common to need sunglasses when pupils are dilated because light hurts the eyes so much. They may keep a person from seeing well and make the eyes more sensitive to the sun. Dilated pupils are usually not dangerous. Safe harbor treatment center Which Drugs Cause Dilated Pupils?ĭilated pupils can be the result of drug addiction, but also appears with other medications and medical conditions.
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