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Does anyone notice pupil dilation (mydriasis)?

Messages
171
Location
London
Has anyone noticed that more often than not there pupils will be relatively enlarged in comparisons to healthy individuals around them under the same lighting conditions?

I've noticed this in both myself and my sister, it is not always present that noticeably all the time, but this seems to be something I rarely observe in other people but do in those I have met with ME. Again I think this may be more evident in more severe patients...
 
Messages
171
Location
London
@Mary that's interesting! I think so many people with moderate/serve ME tend to exhibit this. Interestingly enough before I got ME I presented with severe life-threatening primary hypoadrenalism, was treated with replacement hormones (hydrocortisone, fludrocortisone and DHEA), but still whilst I was on that life saving treatment, mydriasis persisted. I think it may have something more to do with other mechanisms such as reduced autonomic nervous system tone.
 

Mary

Moderator Resource
Messages
17,334
Location
Southern California
@energyoverload - you could be right, though pupil dilation is a common feature of adrenal fatigue and so many (most of us I think!) have had this problem.

Your adrenals very well could still be stressed even though you were treated for them. I was weak as a kitten when my chiropractor found that mine were very weak through muscle testing and he gave me an adrenal glandular by Standard Process - Drenatrophin PMG - which was a lifesaver. My energy started coming back in a couple of days. I think my adrenals are my Achilles heel (or one of them at least! :) and I still take a low maintenance dose
 
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Amaya2014

Senior Member
Messages
215
Location
Columbus, GA
I do. It's often accompanied by headaches and light sensitivity. My CFS specialist noted that my pupils were slow to respond. I assumed it was part of the condition and evidence of autonomic nervous system dysfunction. The eye doctor and two neurologists never took notice (or maybe dismissed it).
 
Messages
1,082
Location
UK
I've also had this for last 15 years but i often wondered if it were long term effects from being in the dark for 2 years.

Sometimes my pupils are almost the size of my iris's. Sometimes it only happens in one eye
 

GracieJ

Senior Member
Messages
772
Location
Utah
There is an interesting self test in the book Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome, where you sit in a dark room with a mirror and a flashlight to observe your own pupils. Mine contract and expand in a rhythm, really freaky looking. It is associated with weak adrenals.

I do not think this book goes far enough with what is actually happening in the body, but it is a good one to keep around. I use the herbal protocol from it, and it took me from housebound at a level 3-4 to a working 7. It hasn't healed me, just seems to support the broken pieces of the endocrine system enough to get function back.

It would be interesting to know how many of us have anomalies with pupil dilation.
 

GracieJ

Senior Member
Messages
772
Location
Utah
@Mary I used to use Drenatrophin PMG as well. It helped some, but was more support than helpful with immediate symptoms. I am glad to hear it helped you like it did. I had to go off that brand of supplements, unfortunately. Too many include corn as an ingredient, even as pure and controlled in manufacture as they are. Thanks to GMO corn, I spend my life avoiding all sorts of things, good and bad both.
 

GracieJ

Senior Member
Messages
772
Location
Utah

Mary

Moderator Resource
Messages
17,334
Location
Southern California
I do. It's often accompanied by headaches and light sensitivity. My CFS specialist noted that my pupils were slow to respond. I assumed it was part of the condition and evidence of autonomic nervous system dysfunction. The eye doctor and two neurologists never took notice (or maybe dismissed it).

I think the light sensitivity is because your pupils are dilated. When my parents had certain eye exams, their eyes were dilated with some substance that left them dilated for hours, and they had to wear large special sunglasses that would block almost all light. It makes sense that headaches could be related to light sensitivity due to pupil dilation.
 

Amaya2014

Senior Member
Messages
215
Location
Columbus, GA
@Mary yes that is my working hypothesis. I've had my eyes dilated before and it's not the exact same feeling but similar. I think it's a piece of the puzzle...potentially a huge give away for autonomic dysfunction or a neurological component.

Conversely, sometimes my eyes get real pinpoint when I'm in a flair and they feel painful. I'm also more unsteady on my feet at these times.
 

Research 1st

Severe ME, POTS & MCAS.
Messages
768
Yes, and it gets worse the more exhausted I am neurologically.
It's also found in people with Autonomic Dysfunction, (lagging pupils) and ANS dysfunction is part of having ME.

It wouldn't surprise me, that in ME, we burn out our neuro transmitters as the day goes on.