What is the pupil?
One day you may have noticed that the dark circles in the middle of your eyes are wider than usual. These circles are the pupil or pupil and usually change in size according to the amount of light necessary for proper vision.
The pupil is defined as the black center of the eye and its function is to allow light to enter and focus it on the retina (neurons at the back of the eye) so that you can see, and the muscles in the iris (the colored part of your eye) control each pupil.
It is normal for the size of the two pupils to be equal, but there are some things that may cause a change in the size of the pupil. Usually, changes in the size of the pupil are involuntary. The involuntary nervous system is the same system that causes all involuntary movements in our bodies, such as breathing.
Causes dilated pupils
The size of the pupils and how they react to light can help diagnose some health problems, for example, if you receive a blow to the head and one or both pupils are dilated larger than normal, this could be a sign of a serious brain injury. When the pupils are dilated with a diameter of 4 to 8 millimeters, while the size of the narrow pupil is between 2 to 4 millimeters.
The main causes of pupil size change are:
Health or disease reasons.
Taking certain medications or drugs.
Emotions.
Are dilated pupils a sign of disease?
The pupil of the eye may be dilated as a result of
some diseases and it is called mydriasis or mydriasis, in which the pupil of
the eye is always dilated, in normal cases, the pupil collects light and brings
it to the retina to form images, and the pupil usually dilates in response to
dim light so that it can collect more light, Then it returns to its normal
position after that, but if the pupil does not return to its normal size, and
remains enlarged even with bright lights, this may happen as a symptom of some
diseases, including:
eye injury.
An eye injury, such as blunt force trauma, may
damage the nerves that control the iris, and this can disrupt the pupil's
normal response to light levels in the environment. Other symptoms may vary
depending on the cause of the injury to the eye.
Uveitis may cause swelling and irritation around
the pupil of the eye, and if left untreated, it may leave scar tissue that
makes the pupil shape irregular.
Benign unilateral transverse mydriasis.
Benign episodic dilated pupils (BEUM) is a
temporary condition that creates a dilated pupil in only one eye. Individuals
with this condition often experience mild headaches, eye pain, sensitivity to
light, and blurred vision during these episodes. And in some cases, BEUM also
occurs during a migraine. While this condition is not a serious condition, a
complete examination of the eye and nervous system is necessary to ensure that
there is no more serious cause
cranial neuropathy.
The neuropathy of the cranial nerve refers to the
gradual damage to the nerves that travel to the eye, as the oculomotor nerve
affects the constriction of the pupil of the eye, so its damage may lead to the
dilation of the pupil of the eye, and neuropathy of the cranial nerve can
affect one or both eyes and the patient may face this disorder Also other eye symptoms, such as double vision
. Injury to the brain A brain injury can cause
increased pressure inside the skull, which can affect the eyes Typical causes
of this type of injury include injury, tumor or stroke, usually only one eye is
affected, sometimes called traumatic dilated pupils Traumatic brain “pupil
distension”.
Increase in oxytocin
Increased levels of oxytocin may cause the pupils
to dilate mild to moderate. The hormone oxytocin is usually released from
exercise and intimate physical or social interactions with other people. It
also plays an important role during childbirth. Research suggests that elevated
oxytocin levels may help increase oxytocin levels. Responding to human faces,
this hormone primarily causes psychological effects, such as increased
emotional attachment and sexual arousal.
head injury
A brain injury can cause increased pressure within
the skull, which may affect your eyes. Typical causes of this type of injury
include a collision, a tumor, or a stroke. Usually, only one eye is affected.
This condition is sometimes called injury-induced mydriasis. Traumatic brain “pupil distension”.
Medicines and drugs that cause dilated pupils.
Some medications can dilate the pupil while others
narrow it. Some medications that affect pupil size include:
- Anticholinergics: These are medications commonly used to treat things like overactive bladder, Parkinson's disease, diarrhea, or stomach cramps.
- Sedatives: including alcohol and antihistamines. In one small 2006 study, the antihistamine diphenhydramine caused pupils to become smaller
- Opioids:
These are powerful drugs used to treat pain. Both legal (such as prescription
oxycodone) and illegal (such as heroin) opioids can narrow the size of the
pupil.
Pupil dilation in psychology
Some research suggests that pupil size is an
involuntary sign of attractiveness. Eye contact has long been central to human
interactions, and changes in emotions can cause the pupils to dilate.
When you see something you love whether it's a
gift from a friend or even a passing person and you like it, your sympathetic
nervous system starts a response called the fight response. Assess any
potential threat.
Some research has also found that women who have
naturally, large pupils are more attractive, and as for men, other research has
found that women who prefer nice men are more attracted to men with
medium-sized pupils, and women who prefer bad men are more attracted to their
pupils. The largest.
Also, some research has found that a woman's
pupils dilate when she looks at her partner, who she finds sexy during her
fertile period.
When are dilated pupils dangerous?
If you notice that your pupils frequently remain
dilated even in a well-lit environment, make an appointment to see your doctor
or eye specialist. It is also important to see your eye specialist if you
notice that one pupil remains larger than the other, as the doctor can find the
cause of the condition.
The doctor should review your medical history, see
if you are taking medications or drugs that cause this condition or if you have
had eye injuries, and he may perform a visual acuity test and a test to check
the movement of the eye muscles, and try to rule out any pathological causes of
the condition.
Ultimately, the treatment of dilated pupils
depends on the cause that your doctor determines.
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