Large pupils. H. Stanbro
The Doctors
My two and a half year old son has always seemed to have larger pupils
than his sister or either of his parents. They seem to dilated
and constrict
normally with
fluctuations in the amount of light, but they seem to be larger than
anyone else's in the room (same light conditions) at any given
time. In
photographs he nearly
always has "red eye" even when others in the picture do not. Is
there a
possible explanation for large pupils, and what might be a
cause? Thanks.
Answer
As long as the pupils are symmetrical and react normally to
light, and
the child doesn't seem to have a problem with photophobia (blinking,
eyes watering, shielding the eyes in the light), it probably is
just an
individual difference. I could only find a few references in
MEDLINE to
"congenital mydriasis" and most of them were associated with
lack of
accomodation of the pupils to light, so they would not pertain
to your
son's situation. Here is one reference which unfortunately does
not have
an online abstract, but claims to review the literature on this rare
condition (which may not be at all what your son has---he
probably is
completely normal and perhaps the shape of his eyes or lids just shields
them more from the light and so the pupils dilate more).
Br J Ophthalmol 1992 Oct;76(10):632-3
Bilateral congenital mydriasis.
Richardson P, Schulenburg WE
Western Ophthalmic Hospital, London.
A single case of bilateral congenital mydriasis
is described. A review of the literature is presented and
possible modes of inheritance
are discussed.
Comments:
Comment in: Br J Ophthalmol 1993
Dec;77(12):827-8
Comment in: Br J Ophthalmol 1994
May;78(5):420
PMID: 1384690, UI: 93041594
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