A narrowed pupil in a person can be a sign of a serious illness. Expansion can also occur for various reasons. We will consider them in our article. There are people who are wondering about how to narrow the pupils, since this factor in some cases provokes discomfort.
The size of the pupil depends on the amount of light that enters the retina: the larger it is, the smaller it is in diameter. It also matters the distance at which this or that subject is examined. The farther the object of interest, the wider the pupil.
Why are the pupils narrowed? This usually happens after expansion. But sometimes, to achieve this, you need to use additional funds.
Narrowed pupils. Causes
An increase in pupil diameter is possible due to overwork. But it happens that as a result of influencing factors, pathological expansion occurs. If it is bilateral and is 5 millimeters, or even more, then in medicine it is called the term "mydriasis".
This can happen for a variety of reasons. Some people have such a function in the body that the mood changes very often, and this is fraught with first right-sided ptosis, and then mydriasis.
Also, the expansion of the icons can be the initial signs of damage to the midbrain, and then there is a converging strabismus.
Mydris can occur due to improperly selected contact lenses.
The expansion of the pupil is possible both short-term and long-term.
There are household reasons for this phenomenon. These include:
- sharp flash of light ;
- darkness;
- a long time spent near a computer monitor;
- frequent use of lenses or glasses designed for correction;
- the emergence of strong emotions, which are accompanied by the release of adrenaline into the blood; it is stress, pain, or fear;
- increased muscle activity;
- alcohol abuse, the use of narcotic substances and psychotropic drugs.
In these cases, persistent expansion occurs.
Dilated pupils may also be due to some other disease. For instance:
- with myopia;
- when there are inflammatory processes in the brain;
- if the midbrain is affected;
- when the thyroid gland works with disorders;
- in some cases with cancer of the brain and chest area;
- when the optic nerve is affected and the response to light is much reduced;
- in the presence of glaucoma.
And what do constricted pupils mean for a person? This is a normal condition. If they are extended for a long time, this can lead to pain and pain in the eyes, especially in bright light. There is also a decrease in vision in the twilight. With this symptom, in the evening it is undesirable to drive.
But how to narrow the pupils? The main options are medical treatment and exercise. You can also try to achieve a positive result with alternative methods.
Before you start using any drugs, you should definitely consult a doctor.
Miotiki
For this, myotics (Fosarbin, Fosfakol) are recommended as a solution. But some are used as an ointment.
The drug Physostigmine is also used. This solution acts instantly, but it has side effects, such as pain and conjunctivitis due to an allergic reaction. Carbacholine is also used, especially in the fight against glaucoma.
Another good remedy is the drug “Pilocarpine”. Both solution and ointment are used to treat glaucoma. If you use this drug for a long time, then cataracts may occur as a result.
When during the treatment the pupils are very narrow, approximately one millimeter, then this fact is a threat to vision. Because of this, much less light gets into the retina than necessary, which leads to tissue dystrophy.
Midriatics
In addition to myotics, mydriatics are also recommended. Most commonly used:
- 1% solution of atropine sulfate, the effect of which can last approximately one week;
- preparations "Midriacil" and "Tropicamide". Their effect is short-lived - about a couple of hours.
The action of mydriatics depends on the tonus of the muscle that narrows the pupil. The condition of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system also plays a role.
Contraindications
Like any other pharmaceuticals, both myotics and mydriatics have their contraindications and side effects.
The main contraindications:
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- the tendency of the body to allergic reactions;
- bronchial asthma;
- chronic heart failure;
- coronary artery disease;
- bleeding from the digestive tract;
- epileptic seizures;
- acute inflammation of the organs in the abdominal cavity;
- iridocyclitis and iritis;
- hypertension;
- bowel obstruction;
- stomach ulcer or duodenal ulcer;
- diabetes;
- spastic pain;
- shock state.
Side effects
Side effects may be as follows:
- the occurrence of allergies;
- pressure reduction;
- reduction in the diameter of the heart vessels;
- disturbance or slowing of the heart rhythm;
- redness of the skin of the face;
- the occurrence of shortness of breath;
- diarrhea;
- swelling and clouding of the cornea;
- dyspeptic disorders ;
- lacrimation, as well as increased excretion of saliva;
- the occurrence of cramps and tremors in the muscles;
- dizziness;
- headache;
- sleep disturbance;
- hypersensitivity in the eye area.
So a self-selected drug can do more harm than help. Also, you can not increase the dosage, because an overdose may occur, which will also negatively affect the body.
Hygiene
So that there is no question of how to narrow the pupils, you must always monitor visual hygiene. To do this, you need:
- While working at a computer, take at least a five-minute break once an hour.
- During operation, you need to create good lighting.
- If you often sit at a computer, you can use special glasses. They have a protective function.
- Try not to read while lying down.
Gymnastics
To normalize the size of the pupils, you can do special exercises for the eyes.
First you need to focus your eyes on the ceiling, then sharply translate into the far corner. You should repeat this movement 10 times, alternately looking up and down.
The same number of times to make circular movements with the eyes, first against, and then clockwise.
You also need to sharply move your eyes to the left, then to the right.
You can try to narrow the pupils with abdominal muscles. They need to be completely relaxed so that not even the slightest tension is felt.
Contrast compresses also have an excellent effect on pupil size. For this, two flaps of fabric are taken. One is wetted in hot water, the second in cold. Every 10 seconds they need to be changed.
You can narrow your pupils this way: alternately focusing your eyes on objects that are at different distances.
Folk remedies
Folk methods can normalize the iris. For example, you can cook one useful tool. To do this, pour a glass of blueberries with boiling water (one liter). To reduce the pupil, take a decoction of 60 milliliters at least four times a day. If this product is not available, then it can be replaced with blueberry-based tablets purchased in a pharmacy or the juice of these berries.
Raspberry leaves are also considered a good remedy. They should be boiled. As a result, you will get a decoction. It must be taken twice a day for 200 milliliters. Anise decoction not only helps to narrow the pupils, but also has a positive effect on blood circulation in the retina. Prepared the same way as raspberry.
Advice
If the pupils are constricted for a long time, what does it mean? This suggests that the thyroid gland is not active enough. Perhaps a cerebral inflammatory process is occurring or pressure has increased dramatically.
To reduce the pupils, you can use bright light. Any electric lamp is suitable for this, but natural light is much better. Being on the street, you just need to get out of the shadows. And if the sun shines in the room and outside the window, then for a few seconds you should look in that direction.
Using natural bright light, one should not look directly at the sun, since such an action can negatively affect vision and eyes.
If you intentionally narrow the pupils, then this can lead to eye strain. Signs of this factor are painful sensations and twitching. In order not to harm the visual organs, it is necessary to stop these actions and give the eyes a rest for at least a couple of days.
Conclusion
Now it’s clear how to narrow the pupils. There are a lot of methods. But before you try one of them, be sure to consult a specialist.