Anisocoria in Right Eye

[soylent1139]

I am a 27 year old man who is pretty much healthy in every way (save one incident I will explain later).  When I was about 22 years old, I noticed that one of the pupils (the one in my right eye) was bigger than the other.  Along with the difference in size, sometimes there is a slight, barely noticeable pain behind the eye.  I was examined by an eye doctor, and he found absolutely no problem with my eye.  He examined it for quite a while, and says it appears totally normal, except the size difference of the pupil.  

Both of my pupils react normally to light.  My eyelid doesn't droop or anything, everything is pretty much normal.

However, one past incident in my life had me worried once I saw the causes of anisocoria.  When I was about 20, I was sitting in a restaurant with some friends late at night.  My entire body went numb, and I couldn't speak much.  I felt so strange, and I swear, I couldn't feel most of my body (both sides).  This was after we smoked some marijuana.  Usually, when I smoked marijuana I'd get sort of a numbness/pain in the chest.  Now I look back and think I was so stupid... anyways... this one particular time really scared me.  I just told my friends (kind of lied) that I just felt sick... but it was such a strange sensation.

I am worried now, that perhaps this was some kind of stroke.  Or aneurysm.  And maybe that is a cause for this anisocoria?  Well, I'm going for an MRI tomorrow after talking extensively with my doctor.  Will say what the results are... when I get them on Thursday.  I just felt like posting this, so others could read, and perhaps someone has a similar story.

If I could erase any moment in my life, it would be the marijuana smoking moments.  Perhaps this is more dangerous than most people realize...

Anyhow...Wish me luck!

[soylent1139]

Thanks Dr. O.  I hope it's normal!  The best thing (ever) would be if I go in on Thurs, and the doc says "nothing looks abnormal."  I will literally jump for joy!

I was wondering though.  I looked at some possibility of Horner's Syndrome as being the cause.  Apparently, having some problem with your aorta can cause this syndrome.  I've always had this problem with slight chest pains, and although a few years ago, they checked out my heart, I wonder if they didn't look at my aorta well enough?  So, maybe I should get that checked out also... to be on the safe side.

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

It is probably normal.  Many people have anisocoria.

Dr. O.