
Individuals with Adie syndrome have absent or poor (sluggish) deep tendon reflexes as well. Sometimes blurry vision or sensitivity to bright lights (photophobia) can occur. Some individuals may not have symptoms associated with the affected pupil. When no longer focusing on the close at hand object, the affected pupil may remain smaller than normal or grow larger (re-dilate) at an abnormally slow rate, sometimes taking as long as several minutes to return to its original (i.e. Eventually, after months or years, the pupil, which was initially larger than the unaffected pupil, will become smaller than the unaffected pupil. This reminds of the movement of an earthworm. If the pupil is observed with a loupe or microscope a typical behavior can be observed both spontaneously or during near response: Some sectors of the sphincter muscles constrict and others don’t. The pupil will constrict slowly when focusing (=accommodating) on objects close at hand (normally referred to as near response). In many cases it is not ideally round but slightly ovally distorted. In most patients with Adie syndrome the affected pupil is larger than normal (dilated) all the time and does not constrict very much or not at all in response to direct light. The pupil normally opens wider (dilates) in dim light or darkness, when focusing on far away objects, or when a person is excited.

Normally the pupil gets smaller (constricts) in the presence of light or when focusing on nearby objects. When a person’s pupils are of unequal size, the term anisocoria may be used. When only abnormalities affecting the pupil are present, the disorder may be referred to as Adie’s pupil, Adie’s tonic pupil or, most commonly, tonic pupil. However, these findings may not develop at the same time. The term Adie syndrome is used when both abnormalities of the pupil and loss of deep tendon reflexes are present. Adie syndrome involves a usually non progressive and limited damage to the autonomic nervous system, which is the portion of the nervous system that controls or regulates certain involuntary body functions including the reaction of the pupils to stimuli. In rare cases localized disturbance of sweat secretion is associated with Adie syndrome (Ross syndrome). In most individuals, the cause is unknown (idiopathic), but Adie syndrome can occur as due to other conditions such as trauma, surgery, lack of blood flow (ischemia) or infection. Absent or poor tendon reflexes are also associated with this disorder. In most patients the pupil is larger than normal (dilated) and slow to react in response to direct light. 5 Myths About Orphan Drugs and the Orphan Drug ActĪdie syndrome, or Holmes-Adie syndrome, is a rare neurological disorder affecting the pupil of the eye.Information on Clinical Trials and Research Studies.The benign condition known as “Adie’s tonic pupil” typically causes one pupil to be noticeably bigger than the other, with the affected pupil not reacting to light. We accept payments by cash, checks, and Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover credit cards. To schedule an appointment, please call us today.

#CONDITION THAT SUGGEST UNEQUAL PUPIL SIZE PROFESSIONAL#
But you should have your unequal pupils evaluated by an eye care professional before you assume all is well. If the difference in pupil size is minor and your pupils react normally to tests your eye doctor performs, there may be nothing to worry about. These cases warrant examination by the ophthalmologist.

On the other hand, more pronounced “significant aniscoria,” in which one pupil is larger than the other by more than 1.0 mm, may be the result of trauma, eye disease (such as “iritis”), or neurological disorders.

Some research suggests that about 20 percent of the general population have benign, mild anisocoria. Southern Eye Institute - UNEQUAL PUPILS When one pupil of the eye is noticeably larger (dilated) or smaller (constricted) than the other, the condition is known as “anisocoria.” In most cases of mild anisocoria (known as “simple anisocoria” or “benign anisocoria”) that are not caused by underlying disease or trauma, one pupil is bigger than the other by less than 1.0 mm.
