Medications that are used to treat high blood pressure, such as clonidine.Īnti-anxiety sedatives, such as diazepam (also known as Valium).Īntihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (commonly found in Benadryl). Illegal opiates, including heroin, can cause pupillary miosis as well.

Opioids for pain management (oxycodone, morphine, hydrocodone and codeine, etc.) that are prescribed by your doctor. Substances that might be responsible for your constricted pupils include: These include prescription narcotics that are used to control pain, such as codeine, and prescription medicine for health conditions (anxiety, high blood pressure, etc.). SEE RELATED: How vision changes as you age Miotic pupils can be caused by medicationĬertain medications can cause the pupils to constrict and become small. This is called senior miosis and usually begins when a person is over 70 years old. When people age, the eye muscles that enlarge or shrink the pupil grow weaker.Īs a result, pupils can become smaller and take longer to dilate in the dark. SEE RELATED: Marcus Gunn pupil (RAPD): Causes, types, signs and treatment Pupil constriction due to agingįor the first two weeks of a baby’s life, their pupils will be small, providing protection from bright light. That is very tiny - a dime, by contrast, is almost nine times larger. In miosis pupils are less than 2 millimeters in diameter in normal light. Normal pupils range from 2-5 mm in diameter. This type of miosis can occur in one or both eyes, and can have a number of different causes, including certain medications, head injury or even the aging process. However, if you experience persistent pinpoint pupils (also known as miotic pupils) in dim light, it is possible you have abnormal miosis. Pupils also constrict whenever you’re focusing on an object that is very close.

Your pupils naturally change size thousands of times a day, expanding in dim light and contracting in bright light - this regulates the amount of light that reaches your retina. The word is derived from ancient Greek and literally means 'to close the eyes.' Miosis is a condition in which the pupil, the black opening at the center of your eye, shrinks and becomes very small.

Pupil size chart for newborn