Dialated pupils

[Sam93]

Does anyone else have this?

 

My pupils are often very dialated in moderate to dark conditions and even with a few lights on in the room can look like this: http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://trialx.com/g/Dilated_Pupils-4.jpg&imgrefurl=http://trialx.com/curebyte/2012/08/22/images-related-to-dilated-pupils/&h=701&w=600&sz=85&tbnid=d-8RDkK4oC-FdM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=96&zoom=1&usg=__wJ1eGsKnX-6gy8osDS-9Ua-QeSk=&docid=fkcCpQo0LqZZcM&sa=X&ei=qOY4UreICuqh0QX58YH4AQ&ved=0CDYQ9QEwAQ

 

My girlfriend has commented on this a few times and thought I was on drugs, but she knows of my condition and was understanding in the end haha.

 

It's interesting because in bright light situations my pupils go tiny.

 

Thank you muchly,

Sam.

[etardnow]

Mine doesnt get dilated to that size but i have minor anisocoria([different dilation size]it was much more noticeable before).

 

Also when i look in the mirror  at my eyes, even though i stay perfectly still and the light environment doesnt change, my pupils will constantly dilate and contract. Its not obvious and the back and forth is only about 1mm in size. I dont know if this is normal or not. Probably not normal.

[Sam93]

Yeah I suppose it is normal, however my pupils can randomly look like saucers in the most random of lighting conditions, mostly when there's fluorescent lighting, and it's quite embarrassing sometimes, especially when meeting people or job interviews where you look like you've consumed a hefty dose of drugs. Not fun.

[Duster]

I have this. Even before I got HPPD and beer definitely makes them even wider. Almost got in a trouble in London a year ago, when I got back from a nightclub and while having a cigarette in front of the hotel, the security man points at my eyes and starts asking: "hey man, your eyes look interesting. what's happened?"
I told him I just drank few beers and it always makes them so big. That's all. Then he smiled in a way, I didn't like at all. Wasn't the first time, not the last. Happens everywhere.

[Sam93]

Yeah, beer turns my eyes into saucers too. I've had some weird looks from bartenders and friends have commented on it numerous time, I basically still look like I'm on LSD as far as my eyes go.

[Duster]

I feel you! Weird things, but life is weird sometimes. Let's just ignore those people. Take care!

[Sam93]

Hell yeah You too man.

[zukov]

I have that too... just a little bit bigger than pre-hppd... my doctor says is "normal" but i have my eyes all of my life and a i know he's wrong. 

Just a few times, my pupils go really really dilated, like if i was on lsd..its very scary. 

[VisualDude]

It would seem that if your eyes changed with/after HPPD then the dilation isn't "normal".  Iris size is controled by the parasympathetic nervous system which is altered in dopamine disorders such as Parkinson's.

 

One member reported his eyes returning to normal with Sinemet.  Sinemet doesn't affect my 'saucers'.  Zukov -- I know your Sinemet trial was brief (faintness) but did you notice anything with your eyes?

 

I get different pupil sizes and often bad anxiety when this shows up, though not always.  Gabapentin resolves this.  However, it returns the larger one down to 'normal', not to beer-saucers-eyes, lol.

[zukov]

I wasnt notice anything during my trial with sinemet. I think is more related with the DP-DR, anxiety etc but im on modafinil since yesterday and right now im experience some weird changes in my pupils, also my visuals are worse. I will stay on this med for a couple of days and see what happens... i know modafinil affects in someway dopamine receptors. 

[VisualDude]

I've tried Nuvigil (an enantiomer of Provigil).  Too strong ... Sinemet is more gentle (like a good laxative should be  )

 

These increase dopamine, norepiniphrine, histamine, serotonine and perhaps reduce GABA.  All but the dopamine part make me nervous because they increase overall brain activity - which is what an alertness type drug would do.  Since our brains are over active ("cerebral disinhibition") this could be problematic.

 

Nevertheless, it is good you are trying something and reporting to us.

 

With Sinemet, you had fainting/weakness problems right?

 

Please describe the "weird changes in my pupils"

[Sam93]

It would seem that if your eyes changed with/after HPPD then the dilation isn't "normal".  Iris size is controled by the parasympathetic nervous system which is altered in dopamine disorders such as Parkinson's.

 

One member reported his eyes returning to normal with Sinemet.  Sinemet doesn't affect my 'saucers'.  Zukov -- I know your Sinemet trial was brief (faintness) but did you notice anything with your eyes?

 

I get different pupil sizes and often bad anxiety when this shows up, though not always.  Gabapentin resolves this.  However, it returns the larger one down to 'normal', not to beer-saucers-eyes, lol.

Yeah it definitely started after HPPD, not that I observed my pupils all the time before but I know for definite I didn't have saucers haha.

 

I'd love to give Sinemet a try but I think it's going to be quite the task getting it prescribed in the UK, I know some members have had success in the UK but doctors I've spoken to seem extremely hesitant due to possible 'strong adverse reactions' (their words, not mine).

 

I've often thought that it feels like I have low dopamine since HPPD, not sure if 'feeling' neurotransmitters make sense but anyone who's taken dopamine agonists/releasers will know what I mean. Especially since doing things that naturally increase dopamine, such as maybe crying with laughter, seems to reduce symptoms. Maybe that's just a coincidence.

 

Another symptom I have been having is twitches and jerks, even in the day time, I know this can be related to Dopamine. 

[HPPDisGone]

I used to have abnormal pupil size at the very early period of having HPPD.

 

If I remember correct, it'd not matter in which light condition. I also literally felt my eyes overfocusing, then I knew my pupils where to big again.

Thinking to much of this discribed phenomena used to freak me out.

 

I think it took me a good two-three years to make this problem go away(stupidly enough I still used once in a while hard drugs/drugs in that time frame, which postponded the curing process). In the last year or years of that period of curing, it'd became hardy noticeable or noteworthy. Just a minor annoyance for me.