What do big pupils mean

A dilated pupil can sometimes still react to light — that is, get smaller in bright light or when a light is shined at the eye. A large pupil that is completely unresponsive to light is called a "fixed" dilated pupil.

Dilated pupils aren't the same as anisocoria , a common condition where both pupils react normally to light but differ in size by about a half-millimeter or more. The following prescription and non-prescription medicines can cause your pupils to dilate and affect their ability to react to light:. Atropine used for myopia control and other medical purposes. A serious, penetrating eye injury can damage your iris and cause the pupil to become dilated and irregular in shape.

Sometimes, this sort of injury can occur during an eye surgery, such as a complicated cataract surgery or a corneal transplant.

A head injury , stroke or brain tumor can affect how your pupils react to light and cause dilated pupils. One or both eyes may be affected. This is why you see physicians checking an athlete's pupils with a penlight following head trauma sustained during sporting events, or when a patient arrives at a hospital emergency department with other possible stroke symptoms. Research has shown that alcohol and marijuana — separately or in combination — can reduce your eyes' ability to recover from exposure to a bright light source such as oncoming headlights at night and adapt to changing light conditions.

This effect can last two hours or longer after drug ingestion. A number of illegal drugs, however, do directly cause dilated pupils. This slows your eyes' ability to react to light. This is an unusual but harmless condition where a person experiences sporadic episodes of one pupil suddenly becoming dilated, often accompanied by blurry vision, headache and eye pain.

Young women who are prone to migraine appear to have the highest risk of benign episodic unilateral mydriasis. In one study, the median duration of the episodes was 12 hours some lasted much longer and the median frequency was two to three episodes per month. It's important to get medical care if you…. Learn more about how long eye strain can last, what changes you can make to your work station to help, and when to see a doctor.

Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. About Normal Pupil Sizes. Medically reviewed by Ann Marie Griff, O. Average pupil size. What are pupils? Pupil size and your health and emotions. Health conditions, injuries, and diseases. The takeaway. Read this next. Is It Love? Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. Medically reviewed by Judith Marcin, M. Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. A woman with dilated pupils mirrors his attraction, indicating returned interest and perhaps sexual excitement.

So can other emotions, like fear and anger. But there are other things that are anything but lovey-dovey that can also cause dilated pupils, including:. And, according to older research , the longer you engage in mutual eye contact, the stronger your feelings of love and affection become. The amount of eye contact you and your partner share may be indicative of just how in love you are. The way a person sits or stands in your presence says a lot about their interest.

Examples of this are leaning forward and bringing their upper body toward you, or moving closer to the edge of their seat when talking to you. On the flipside, a person who leans back or tilts their body away from you is probably just not that into you. If their feet are pointing away from you or even at someone else, take it as a sign they may rather be elsewhere. When two people are genuinely engaged in conversation, they tend to mirror each other without even realizing it.

Subtle motions, such as grazing your arm or leg during an animated conversation, may be a sign of interest. Running their hand along their arm or through their hair while looking at or speaking to you may be another sign of attraction.

When they do, it gives the eye doctor the opportunity to test for certain pupillary reactions—some of which can reveal neurological problems—as well as gain insight into the health of the internal structures of the eye, including the retina , vitreous, optic nerve , blood vessels choroid , and macula. It typically takes a few hours for the dilating drops to wear off, so it may be a good idea to have someone drive you to your appointment, if possible. Trauma to the eye or the brain can also cause dilated pupils.

Typically, it is blunt closed trauma that damages the iris sphincter muscle—which is responsible for constricting the pupil—or one of the pathways in the brain that controls it. It can also cause bleeding inside the skull, which may result in dilated pupils.

Other than trauma, eye injuries can also result from intraocular surgery like cataract removal and corneal transplant, or following retinal procedures. In addition to drugs and injuries, dilated pupils in one or both eyes may also be the result of a handful of medical conditions, including:. Finally, there are a few additional causes of dilated pupils. For example, recent research has indicated that increased levels of oxytocin —the "love" or "bonding" hormone—may result in dilated pupils in situations involving attraction, mood, or an emotional response to someone or something.

There is also evidence that a person's pupils can dilate in situations where they are concentrating very hard on something, including making a decision. If you have persistent or unexplained changes in pupil size, then it's time to discuss it with your healthcare provider.

If pupil dilation in one or both eyes is accompanied by certain symptoms, it could be the sign of an emergency, requiring you to seek medical treatment immediately. These symptoms include:. Not only do our pupils have the important function of regulating the light that enters our eyes, but they can also indicate a variety of other health issues—ranging from those that resolve on their own, to those that require immediate medical care.

Next time you take a look in the mirror, take note of the size of your pupils. You may also want to dim and raise the lights in the room to see how your pupils react. This will give you a basic idea of what your pupils usually look like and how they typically react to light. It could be useful moving forward, like if you notice your pupils aren't their usual size or reacting the way they normally would to light. In those situations, it's best to consult your healthcare provider about this symptom—unless, of course, it's accompanied by any of the symptoms above that could indicate a medical emergency.

If that happens, seek medical attention immediately. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Dilated pupil.