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One Pupil Dilated

I went to a Sleep Center yesterday for a sleep disorder, and the Dr. examining me noticed that my left pupil was dilated about twice the size of the right one.

He asked if anyone had told me that-and they haven't.  I have never noticed that to happen ever before in my life.

I asked what it meant, and he was rather dismissive and didn't seem to take it too seriously.  But he was interested enough to make his two residents look at my pupils.  (This was a University affiliated Medical Center, a teaching hospital).

He did tell me that if it was sudden onset, it could be something dangerous like a brain bleed or a stroke.  He rather offhandedly suggested I might want to tell my Dr. and have an MRI done.  But again, didn't seem overly concerned.

So naturally this scared me and I did research online.  Almost every case with my symptoms seems to indicate a ruptured Aneuryism or stroke.  But, some research did say it could be due to stress and sleep deprivation, both of which I had a great deal the last few days due to anxiety about this appointment.  But I noticed I was having a lot more physical anxiety than usual the night before and day of this appt. yesterday, and a great deal of confusion and trouble processing information.  I felt horrible.  My mind was very confused and perceptions distorted, as in physical anxiety being acute.

I am guessing it's probably more due to stress and sleep deprivation.  I tried a Lunesta the night before, and it only gave me 3 hours of sleep before causing so much anxiousness I couldn't sleep the rest of the night.  I later found out a great deal of the physical anxiety/confusion I have been experiencing is likely due to side effects from the Lunesta, as a lot of people have the same problems and it was noticeable compared to normal.

Should I be worried about the dilated pupil?  It's still there.  I am also having a really bad headache, but feels more like sinus but it's painful.  I am very dizzy, and eyes are extremely light sensitive all of a sudden.  I can't tell how much of this is stress/sleep deprivation and/or side effects from the Lunesta, which can cause similar symptoms.  My father currently has a bad head cold, and I figured I was catching it as some sort of URI or sinus thing.

Any ideas?  I did try calling my main Dr. to ask his opinion about the pupil, and whether I should check it out with a Neurologist but he never called me back yesterday.  I am leery about spending a lot of money on a Neurologist and  MRI without health insurance (2 to 3 grand maybe?) if it's not really necessary.  But the pupil is lasting a long time, since it was diagnosed this morning so I am wondering.  Also-the research said sometimes higher doses of antihistamine could cause one dilated pupil, and I did take two doses of Benedryl to sleep that night.  But it's never done this before and it wore off hours ago.

What should I do?  Just watch and see what happens?  If it were something as serious as a stroke or brain bleed, wouldn't I know by now?

Thanks for any help.
63 Responses
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Avatar universal
So, I am not a doctor and I see that this is old, but yesterday, and this could have been due to a number of things, one of my pupils got very small and one larger, I called a physicians assistant friend of mine and she said if it was like that in the toning to call the eye doctor! Also, she said she would be more worried about it if it was causing me pain. I am sure you already handled this, but I myself was trying to do some research on it and thought I should share the little I do know! I hope you are well!!!
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Avatar universal
I know it may be a very old post but a month ago my sister noticed my right pupil bigger than the left it looked freaky so rang the doctors I got straight in omg he was fascinated with it ....next day went opticians everything fine no glaucoma phew but 5th December I have neourolghy lol if spelt right ..  . Every now and then I get sharp pains on my head...vision is ok but wear sunglasses alot I am worrying so much I'm 38 very overweight and like the original post said when you Google things makes it worse .....thanks for reading x
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Avatar universal
Please dont leave any thing that you may be worry about my dad had a extreme head ache and slight loss of vision, he was sensitive to light and put it down to a migraine he went to the opticians and they said he might of had a stroke he ended up on a stroke ward in the hospital and started to deteriorate until he collapsed they sent his CT scans for a second opinion and they found he had a abscess that had burst into his brain he is currently in ICU and has had to have 4 different brain  surgery with only 1 in 5 chance of survival, my dad is 55 and all this could of started off with a simple sinus, ear or gum infection
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Avatar universal
OMG! Thank you!! Have had enlarged right pupil for months now (that I noticed), fam doc said it was nothing but didn't seem too sure, I worried like crazy until reading this forum. I would like to see final results but I'm confident its anxiety and/or sinuses, which explains the dizziness, drowsiness, slight confusion, occasional heart palpitations, intense sinus pressure, ect. Like I've read over and over on here.... So thank you all!
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Ghj
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Avatar universal
I am a 37 year old female and my left eye is constantly dilated, does not restrict in light. It has affected my vision sometimes I see double. Ive been to the eye hospital and they did tests on my eyes and said there was no problem with them and it could be possibly be Aides pupil. I get severe headaches and pressure feelings in different parts of my head and face. also get like a rushing feeling in my brain. I get pins and needles in my face, back of my head, hands and feet and left leg. With the headaches I also get nausea. I also get pains behind my eyes and the headaches are more severe than any migraine I have experienced. I am currently been waiting nearly 3 months to see a neurologist. I have rang them trying to hurry the appointment up to no joy. I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice please.
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Avatar universal
I am truly concerned now.  My daughter is 10 years old and I received a letter from the vision van that comes to her school every year stating that her vision was 20/20 but her pupils were different sizes and needed to be checked.  After spending 5 hours at eye doctor and her getting every test they had I have more questions than answers.  He said she needed to see her MD and possible MRI. I did notice after having her eyes dilated that the eye that is larger, the left eye, took 2 days to go back down.  It was huge, almost the size of her entire eye.  It appeared to me to constrict normally with light but was very large for 2 days.  Has anyone ever gone through anything like this?
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Avatar universal
hello, having same problem right pupil dialeted now for 2 weeks and doesn't respond to light am very light sensitive and killer headaches. Going to have MRI today.
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Avatar universal
This is an interesting site that i seem to have stumbled upon with some great information and dialogue. I found this site buy looking up my specific symptoms and voila many people in the have eerily similar symptoms. I am a trained and certified PSW (personal support worker), honor role and at top of class. I got to work for three months after graduation before my health took me away from my job that i so loved.  After reading several of the postings I realized that I had to write something. Especially after the comment i am writing this post on. Here goes in a nutshell: I am 35. Several years now ive been through several specialists, received diagnosis, had surgerys and have started new symptoms in past six months or so. My diagnosis: DID ( degenerative disc disease) severe damage in c2-c3-c6 and c7, Osteaoarthritis in my spine, spondliosis of my spine. I had many years of  petite-mal seizures and received many xrays, MRI's and for my brain. They found a cyst on my pineal gland (2.6mm) which they say they want to keep an 'eye' on it.(LOL) Im suppose to go every 6 months to have other MRI's so to watch the size. If it gets too big they will "see" what they can do at that point to remove it. I have a sensitivity to particular lights they make me dizzy, nauseated and sometimes cause a vertigo like sensation in my vision. I find it hard to walk up and down stairs sometimes due to that sensation. I also, in January last year started breaking out in a skin problem. One doctor told me hives, i took the benydril and nothing, it kept getting worse and bigger and spreading ( not spread by itching though, as it was very itchy/burn at times ) The hive like beggining turned into blotches and some into lesions. This happened like a systemic infection as for it seemed to break out in sections at a time over the course of a year and now i have scarring and it still happens. June 2012 i had an exam with a specialist who was actually enlisted to look at my tissue problems in my breasts and low and behold he asked to check my abdomen...well after the ultrasound and dye exray/or mri i cant remember..they found an 8.7 cm..ya i said cm cyst on my left kidney. Which has been removed. Now within the last two years ive had no seizures but in the last six months ive noticed my left eyes pupil is larger . I have been getting a pulling sensation in my eyes and started to watch my eyes in mirror, the left pupil would be very large during the eyepull and id be extremely fatigued instantly. I havnt told a doctor yet about the eye issue as im so busy working with doctors to deal with one thing at a time. And im about to go for a full hysterectomy just after march sometime due to many complications and scarring from past surgerys as well a s much more. I cant write anymore thankyou for your time.ill be sure to check in. LivLovLaff always
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Avatar universal
Hi,

For those of you experiencing auto-immune disorders; and also for the general population; you might want to have your vitamin D levels evaluated.

In the northern hemisphere (north of a line of latitude between roughly  . . . San Diego and Atlanta), winter sunlight is typically not strong enough to allow the vitamin D complex to synthesize in one's skin.  For a few weeks, you burn your reserves of D, stored in fat cells and also the liver, but then, D is so minimized, you can only use it for it's basic necessities (bone stability, some core functions).  

Because D(3) is greatly utilized in the immune system, it plays a strong role in mitigating auto-immune disorders.  Try to get your D levels to between 40 & 70 ng/ml (roughly: 4000 - 7000 iu/day for an adult male, 4000 - 5000 for a female).  Other benefits include: increase energy, mental clarity, possible immune-system benefits.  Scientific American did a great write-up a few years ago.

D works best when combined with co-active compounds, such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, and likely co-enzyme Q 10.  Your grocery store probably carries generic versions of most of these.

Before beginning any program of supplementation, speak with your doctor.  

A general rule of thumb is: for every 1000 iu of D taken, an adult's ng/ml rise by about 10.  If you're concerned about overdosing (as D can build up too much due to some medical conditions), a good start might be 3,000 iu/day, to try to get your ng/ml to at least 30.

Good luck - it has made a world of difference to myself, friends, and family, up here in NY.  I think it's becoming more well-known if you type the topic into a search engine.
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Avatar universal
My left eye has been very "teary" the last couple months.  Starts when I get up in the morning and becomes normal around noon.  Today I looked in a mirror because I noticed my vision became blurry in the left eye.  It is dilated twice as big as the right eye.  No pain, no sinus infection that I know of but very concerning. No signs of a stroke either.  I was up all night with a sick dog so I'm hoping it's lack of sleep.  tomorrow being Sat., I doubt that the eye Dr. will be in.  If I still have this on Monday I will call and get an appointment.  Thank you all for posting.  You have relived my worry.
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Avatar universal
Not an Optometrist?  I know many optometrists who would be very capable and qualified to diagnose this, and quite a few ophthalmologists that I wouldn't trust with it.  You must work with a severely biased MD.  I agree this is a serious condition and a person is better off in a clinic that is equipped for it.  So don't go to the mall doctor, but a good reputable OD in a private practice is going to be just as good as the MD who will give you 7 minutes of his precious time.
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Avatar universal
For a week, I've been suffering from what I thought was a bad cold.  I woke up during the night last night, and noticed mucus on my left eye.  I washed it off and went back to sleep.  The next morning I noticed that the eye was bloodshot, so I put in so Opcon A, popped two Pseudoephedrine for the cold, and went to work.  When I got home, my left eye (the weaker eye) was VERY dilated and still bloodshot.  Both eyes have been developing "eye boogers" today.  

After reading this thread, I did a "light test", and the pupil will restrict when light is shined at it, so it does react. But when light levels are the same in both eyes, the left pupil is always larger.

I have opted to not wear my contact lenses until this issue is resolved, switching to glasses.

I scheduled an appointment with a doctor tomorrow to look into my sinus infection.  I plan to ask him about my eye, even though he is just a GP.

And to complicate things, I had a blunt force injury to my head last Thursday, front center, just above my forehead.  I didn't notice any symptoms of concussion, so I didn't see a doctor, but it cannot be ruled out as a possible cause.

I'm finding this quite stressful. I hope you recovered from this issue.
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Avatar universal
Any updates?
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Avatar universal
TheCFiles,

Have you ever been diagnosed with a mental disorder? After reading your posts I am quite sure that the cause of your maladies are psychosomatic. I would suggest that you take the word of your cadre of expensive doctors and not pursue physical causes. Instead, I might visit a psychiatrist for a thorough evaluation.

Personally, I suspect BSC syndrome.
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2046228 tn?1330105292
i also have constant ringing in both my ears that doesn't go away.. drives me insane..
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2046228 tn?1330105292
i'm 24 and my left eye has been dilating and covers bout my whole eye.. i have constant fussiness in my head and goes down my neck.. i keep a cronic pain on my left side of the head and i see things much closer out of my left eye than my right.. i've noticed that some of my words do not come out clearly anymore and at times my comprehension is slower.. i'm a single mom of 3 small children and don't have the finances to go and see doctors or afford an ER bill.. my options are slim to none.. so, if there's anybody out there that has gotten their issue checked out please let me know so, i can somewhat acknowledge what i'm dealing with.. thanks  
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Avatar universal
I had the same problem I have eye issues and headaches too, They told me Optic Migranes can cause it "basically a migrane with no headache" but I had the MRI and a MRA everything has turned out fine. My Dr called it a 80's eye..? said alot of people have it.. Idk but its been about 6 months since I noticed the dialation and my eyes have looked much more normal latley. It could be something serious in some cases is what theve told me but could also be completley normal
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Avatar universal
Any updates?

I'm curious to hear if anyone has had any luck finding anything on this.  I have found that my left eye is not dilating normally in dim light.  It constricts normally in regular light.  I also have a pain behind my eye, near the top of my eye lid.  Kind of a pressure.  I've been researching like crazy and have not been able to come up with anything.  MRIs have ruled out MS and Neurologists have rules out Adies and Horners...  I still have not received any answers from any of the professionals I've visited.  
It has been very comforting to read these posts because I do not feel alone.  

Thank you.
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I'm 17 and my right eye keeps dilating bigger than my left. It happens randomly, every 7 to 8 times a month, for the past year. Do I need to get this checked out? Because from what I reserched, this doesn't look good at ALL. I'm really scared.. Other sources say it can be the cause of a brain tumor, Horner's Syndrome, Head tramma... Someone please give me some answers??? :( I'm a really worried teenager here...

~Lana
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Avatar universal
the negative note: would be a result from stress, among the other endless possibilities known and unknown. I reread what i posted and it wasn't very sound but I think my main points were put across. good luck
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Avatar universal
im 21 and had one eye dilated after i crashed a bike into a sandwich board trying to get onto the curb and out of traffic when I was about 14, yes kinda ridiculous, but it was still a hard hit.  I was lucky to be in the vicinity of a medic who had responded to someone else and she looked at my eyes since i hit my head. One was more diluted than the other and she said some words very similar to what cfiles stated.  I had never noticed the dilation before and I had never hit my head and become very worried like that before.  nothing ended up being wrong with me, i was a little bit shooken up and disoriented, but thats it.  Now, i am having identity crisis and trying to gather up who i am and be myself amidst what feels like adversity.  Through my fear, anxiety, perception, etc. I have noticed my left eye more dilated than my right eye.  It has not bothered me since my memories of the results when I hit my head, thus I did not think anything of it, but I wanted to learn some possible interpretations to see what makes sense. so on the positive side I think no issues/problems, of course I am not a doctor or neurologist even though i have been to the hospital enough times in my life already, to pick up a checklist board and start directing patients.  After reading most of what people said I believe that the issue may be a result of stress. Stress causes a lot of issues in the body, a concept that is similar to a computer, you can overclock it to make it run faster, but if you do not do it the right way your whole system may be messed up until fixed.  Thus, figure out where your stress is coming from and that may be an alternative to solve your problems similar to eye dilation.
Good luck, don't freak out either way, you will learn it doesn't really help out in any aspect that I have noticed before.
-kellen
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Avatar universal
I had the same problem today. (That's why I researched this article.) This morning, I woke up, and didn't notice a thing. Maybe I just ignored it, like my subconcious like to do, or maybe it wasn't there at that time. I went to school and my friend asked me what was wrong with my eye. She showed me, and I started freaking out. My right pupil was dilated most of the day. Only now, ten hours later, is it looking normal. I'm afriad to find that it happens again. I'm glad to have read this information. It might be that I'm not getting much sleep. I've always had a sleep problem, like my dad. It could be the medication I'm taking because it's sinus season. However, I only took one dose of it, and I've taken it before. I'm not sure, but this article gives me a little insight. I was just wondering, if the problem persists, should I consult a doctor? Like I said, I do have trouble sleeping. I am just curious.
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Avatar universal
Same things were going on with me.  I had a CT scan and MRI this week.  No stroke, no tumor.  Eye doc says it is Adei's Syndrome.  Happens to females mostly at the onset of 32.  It's kind of like there is a lesion on one of your ganglion nerves in your brain.  I was assured there is nothing life threatening about it, however; it can never fully be explained.  Idiopathic.
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