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"Why are my pupils so small?"

ZocdocAnswersWhy are my pupils so small?


I feel like the pupils in both of my eyes are smaller than other people. What causes this and is it bad for my eyes and eye health?


Pupil size is something that varies widely between people. It is also affected by light and different medications you may or may not be one. The only thing we as clinicians worry about with respect to pupil size is making sure that the two pupils are equal in size and that they are reactive to light. If they are equal in size and reactive to light, this means that the neurological network in the brain that controls the pupils is working properly. As long as someone can see fine, I would not be worried about pupils that are smaller than average. Things that can make pupils smaller include a well lighted room and medications such as narcotic pain killers. Keep in mind that the pupillary size is adjusted by the brain to allow a certain amount of light into the eye for the retina to see. If your pupils are small, but you can see fine, your brain is essentially saying that your pupils do not need to be any bigger to allow an adequate amount of light into the eye. If you are worried about your eye health for any reason, please schedule an appointment to see an ophthalmologist. This type of specialist can examine your eyes closely to determine if anything is wrong.

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