Being observant about your health can help you get appropriate and effective treatment at the right time. Many different eye and medical problems can cause the pupils to be unequal—a condition called anisocoria. Certain medications placed in the eyes can cause the pupils to be different sizes, but the effects should wear off, typically within a few hours.
Healthcare providers can figure out whether certain medications or other drugs have caused dilated pupils. When tested, the pupils will not respond normally to light-related stimuli. Notably, they will not constrict when the eye is exposed to a large amount of light. Drugs can affect the muscles that shrink or expand the pupils.
Pupils will return to normal as the effect of the drug wears off. When this will happen depends on the drug and the time it takes for the amount of the active ingredient to decrease by half in your body (half-life). By 8 natural cures for erectile dysfunction Heidi Moawad, MDHeidi Moawad is a neurologist and expert in the field of brain health and neurological disorders. Dr. Moawad regularly writes and edits health and career content for medical books and publications.
Opioid drugs come from the poppy plant and act on the brain to provide pain relief. They include prescription medications, such as those containing oxycodone (OxyContin) and hydrocodone (Vicodin), as well as codeine, morphine, and some illegal drugs, such as heroin. This is when the black part at the center of the eye gets smaller, reducing the amount of light that gets inside. A. Doctors use a class of drugs called mydriatics to widen the pupil, enabling them to see the retina and optic nerve.
Treatment is necessary if your unequal pupil size has a medical cause. Discuss a plan of action with your healthcare provider if you have a chronic condition central nervous system cns depression that can cause unequal pupils, such as MS or a ventricular shunt. The plan will include which symptoms you need to call about and who to call.
Treatment is not necessarily focused on making the pupils look equal. Instead, the priority of treatment is to manage the underlying condition. You might notice that your pupils are not the same size when you look in the mirror. Or you might notice someone else’s pupils are not the same size.
Here are some prescription, over-the-counter, and commonly misused drugs that cause pupils to dilate. Read on to find out which prescription, over-the-counter, and commonly misused drugs affect pupil size. Sometimes, dilated pupils are just temporary and get better effects of meth on the body what does meth do to your body without issue. However, if you have dilated pupils that are not going back to normal and other symptoms like headaches and trouble seeing, call your provider. They can figure out what’s causing your pupils to be dilated and make sure you get the right treatment.
However, a single case is not enough to draw any conclusions about the long-term effects of drug use on the eyes. Opioid use disorder can lead to serious health consequences, including eye damage, but recovery is possible. If an individual is concerned about opioid use, they should seek medical attention. A doctor can put together a suitable treatment plan and help the individual find sources of support. Pinpoint pupils do not indicate opioid overdose on their own, but if a person has other signs of an overdose, they can help healthcare professionals confirm the diagnosis.
As a result, your eyes will be more sensitive to bright light. When you use opioids like oxycodone, heroin, or fentanyl, the sphincter muscles in your pupils contract. Many things can make your pupils dilate (get larger), but few things can make them constrict (get smaller). In some cases, constricted pupils could be a side effect of opioid use. Opioids can cause small pupils, but so can several other things. If you’re concerned that someone is misusing opioids, there are other signs to look for.
When a person uses opioids, the parasympathetic nervous system causes the iris to contract, making the pupils small. Additionally, the pupils may move differently, and the eyelids may droop. Typically, pupil constriction happens in bright light, but certain drugs can cause it to happen, too. Dilated pupils are when the dark center of your eye is widened. It can also happen after taking certain medications or drugs. A 2017 case study presented an example in which a person’s use of hallucinogens may have led to long-term changes in pupil size.
But he added that the drug was now off the market in this country; he said he was not sure why. Many of the medications listed in the following table interfere with your brain’s chemical messengers, also known as neurotransmitters. If you want to connect them with available services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers a database of treatment centers along with other resources.
They are usually equal in size, but some people are born with unequal pupils. Constricted pupils aren’t necessarily a sign that someone’s using opioids. It’s also worth remembering that opioids are prescribed for certain medical concerns, and someone may have constricted pupils if they’re taking opioids as prescribed. Seeking help is the most critical step on the route to recovery. A qualified healthcare professional, such as a doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, or nurse, can assess the individual and develop a treatment plan to suit their needs. Although opioid use disorder can cause serious health and social problems, treatment and recovery are possible.
Treating dilated pupils means figuring out what’s causing them to be dilated and addressing the underlying problem. For example, stopping a medication that is causing the pupils to enlarge or having surgery to fix an injury. It takes about 20 minutes to 30 minutes for the drops to work. When they do, a provider can test the eyes for pupillary reactions, which can show if a person has a neurological problem.
You should see a healthcare provider immediately if you suddenly develop unequal pupils. This is a sign of vision problems in the eye that don’t elicit pupil constriction. In some circumstances, the pupil size can indicate a severe medical emergency.
Depending on the drug, mydriatics work by paralyzing the muscle that makes the pupil smaller or by stimulating the muscle that dilates the iris. Trauma to the eye or the brain can also cause dilated pupils. This will give you a basic idea of what your pupils usually look like and how they typically react to light. This could help you notice if your pupils are not their usual size or are reacting abnormally.
