{"id":15132,"date":"2021-07-11T07:42:58","date_gmt":"2021-07-11T07:42:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=15132"},"modified":"2021-07-15T09:02:06","modified_gmt":"2021-07-15T09:02:06","slug":"the-importance-of-pupil-exams","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-exams\/eye-exams\/the-importance-of-pupil-exams\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Pupil Exams"},"content":{"rendered":"

The pupil is not just a black hole inside your eye – it is a guide to your eye and brain health.<\/b><\/h2>\n

The amount of light that enters your eyes is controlled by your pupils, so a comprehensive eye exam should include a test of the pupils.<\/p>\n

Pupil examination is an essential part of the eye exam<\/a> and may reveal issues in your brain, autonomic nervous system as well as your eye health.<\/p>\n

What is the pupil?<\/b><\/h2>\n

The pupil is the round black circle in the center of the iris, the colored part of the eye. The pupil is a hole inside the eye that allows light to pass through to the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye, the retina.<\/p>\n

The pupil can contract to become smaller (constrict) or expand to become larger (dilate). The amount of light that reaches your retina is controlled by the size of the pupil, which is controlled by the muscles in your iris that respond to external stimuli.<\/p>\n

The pupil constricts in bright light to minimize the amount of light entering the eye. The pupil dilates in dark or dim light to allow more light into the eye and improve vision.<\/p>\n

Pupil examination<\/b><\/h2>\n

The eye doctor will include the assessment of your pupils as part of a comprehensive eye exam<\/a>. The first thing an eye doctor looks for when examining your pupils is anisocoria, a condition where one pupil is larger than the other.<\/p>\n

An estimated 20% of the general population has anisocoria for no apparent reason, and does not indicate any medical issue.<\/p>\n

Unequal pupil sizes<\/a> can be a sign of a serious medical condition, such as a concussion, inflammation of the optic nerve, or a brain or eye tumor<\/b>.<\/p>\n

In addition to checking whether the pupils are equal in size, an eye doctor will examine the size and shape of the pupil in both bright and dim light.<\/p>\n

Other tests conducted by an eye doctor are the speed and quality of pupillary responses to stimuli and your pupillary reaction to near stimuli such as small print.<\/p>\n

Schedule an eye exam<\/b> <\/a>with an eye doctor near you who can perform pupil exams to rule out any underlying eye or medical conditions.<\/p>\n

SEE RELATED: <\/strong>Are my Eye Pupils Different?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t

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