Adie's Pupil Diagnosis and Treatment

Adie’s pupil can usually be diagnosed during an eye exam with your ophthalmologist. The exam may include:

• Special diagnostic eye drops. Your ophthalmologist gives you these drops to see how the pupil responds. A pupil with Adie’s will get smaller after using these drops.
• A slit-lamp exam. This device magnifies and illuminates your pupils. Seen close-up, the pupils may show signs of Adie’s.
• Pupil response testing. Your doctor will want to see how your pupil responds to bright light and low light. These responses are then compared to the unaffected eye. They may also test to see how the pupil accommodates, or focuses, on an object placed very close to the eye.

In some cases, your ophthalmologist will want you to see a neurologist. A neurologist is a doctor with special training in diseases of the nervous system.

How is Adie’s Pupil Treated?

There is no cure for Adie’s pupil, but there are ways to relieve some of the symptoms. Your doctor may suggest:

• glasses to improve reading or near vision
• sunglasses to reduce light sensitivity
• eye drops to make pupil(s) smaller and reduce light sensitivity. Eye drops can also reduce glare while driving at night.

Depending on the cause, some people with Adie’s may recover their normal pupillary response. In others, pupillary function is never recovered or never fully recovered. It is helpful to know the disease is not life-threatening, and with proper treatment, those with Adie’s pupil can manage their condition and expect to live full and healthy lives.