My mom was over yesterday and asked why my daughter's pupils (she's 5) were so big. I looked and they are more than twice the size of mine. She only had a small band of color left around her pupil. Today again when I looked her pupils are huge. She just had her 5yr check up in Feb. She was fine. She had 3 shots (took it like a champ, watched w/out flinching or crying). She's been pretty congested over the past few weeks and I started giving her the steroid inhaler again, but she hasn't had it for 2 days. The last time she had the albuterol inhaler was on Sun. Her cheeks are also pretty red, but that comes and goes. So what's up w/ my kid's eyes??
Ok. I called the doc's office and talked to the nurse. She said as long as they are equal and reactive she should be ok. I did give my kiddo cold medicine this morning at 6am. Nurse said that might have caused it. She said to see how she is in the morning when all medications are out of her system. If they are still big tomorrow I will take her in cause now you all have me freaked out.
Thurs night edit: Earlier today I looked and her pupils were more of a normal size. Still bigger than mine, but smaller than last night. Shortly before bed I looked again and they were larger again so I'm wondering if it's just a tired thing. The doc looked at her eyes when we were there last month and didn't notice a problem so I guess I'll just keep an eye on them and see how things go. Thanks!
As long as it's not a sudden thing, I wouldn't be too worried either. Large pupils are not a very uncommon thing. My eye doctor said people with lighter eyes, especially, are more likely to have larger pupils.
.
Its not normal I would call your doctor and speak to a nurse.
Call the doctor. My mother has one eye that has a huge pupil where you can barely see the color of her eye. It never shrinks and she is legally blind in that eye. Do your daughter's pupils get smaller if light shines on them? I really would at LEAST call the doctor.
L.
I know you have a call in to the doctor (keep the appointment!). But., look back at any recent (hopefully close up) photos you may have taken of her--how do her pupils look there? Are they always big or is it only in most recent pictures? That may give you a timeline of when this started.
I know that I have been told by the eye Dr. that I have large pupils and that it's just something that some people have. The only effect of large pupil's is that there is a higher risk for halo vision in dim light. I don't think that I would worry too much unless the Dr. gives you cause to.
I have also taken albuterol at various times and I know that that makes me shaky, increases my heart rate, and makes my pupil's enlarge so part of the cause could have been from the inhaler.
Hello, don't mean to alarm you, but children aged 2-5 should not be taking over-the-counter cold medicine:
http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20071019/panel-no-...
I've always had large pupils... I'm pretty sensitive to sunlight and bright lights. Other than that my vision has been fine.
Pupils get larger when you are excited about things. Kids pupils are usually always pretty large.... have you heard the term "wide-eyed"? It's probably nothing. If you shine a flashlight on her eyes and the pupils get smaller, she's fine. But drugs cause the pupils to dilate as well.
I remember being really alarmed after my son's first eye doc appointment when they dilated his eyes. Within a few hours my older son's pupils were back to normal, but my younger son's were still huge the next morning. Turns out that's their "normal" size--he just has big pupils!!! He was 5 years old and in kindergarten! I'd never noticed their size before!
