Unequal pupils and health anxiety.

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About a month ago I noticed that my pupils were unequal (right pupil is sometimes larger than my left) I ignored it as I thought I was seeing things but my partner noticed it last night which means that I likely wasn’t seeing things and they’re unequal. They both react to light and dark, just seems that one is sometimes slightly bigger than the other. I’ve never noticed it before which is also worrying me. I’ve barely slept, went shopping for food and had a panic attack with my baby daughter in the trolley. I’m so frightened. So, so frightened.

I had an eye exam back in March for visual disturbances (which were thought to be migraines/visual snow) where nothing was picked up and all seemed ok. This included an OCT scan of the back of the eye. Nevertheless, I still went to my GP to ask advice about the flickering and vibrating I was experiencing in my vision. He took full bloods (which came back with slight anaemia) and told me to keep an eye on symptoms and any new developments but he suspected that I was fine and I wasn’t referred on to anyone.

I’ve suffered with health anxiety on and off for around 2.5 years now. It started with twitching which I still get quite a lot of.
With the visual disturbances, twitching, depression, anxiety, migraines and now this with my pupils I’ve tipped over the edge. I’m convinced the right side of my body is slow and weak and feels ‘off’ when I’m walking. I’m basically convinced that I have a brain tumour, the twitching (which I recently read can be a sign of seizures) and pupils thing is really bothering me.

I’ve managed to get an eye test for tomorrow morning for a quick check and I’m also going to be going to see my GP on Tuesday morning as I think I need some medication to try and calm me down, regardless of what diagnosis I get.

Thank you for reading this. If you can shed any light of your own experiences that would be helpful.

Anyone?

I have uneven pupils and have recently been checked by both an ophthalmologist and neurologist (I was experiencing nausea, headaches and blurred vision) and nothing wrong was found. They have said the uneven pupils are nothing to be concerned about and many people have them. Like you I was terrified, and I suffer from health anxiety too so I understand your worries. I still have moments of panic when I catch sight of my pupils in a mirror! I never noticed them before this year and my other concerns, but I do wonder if I’ve always had it - I don’t have many clear photos to look back on, but in a couple I do think I may have uneven pupils. No optician has ever mentioned it to me though.
Can you look back on any of your old photos?

@ineedacupoftea I’ve been told as long as they’re still reacting to light that it’s usually ok. And mine are. I’ve been looking back through old photos and thanks to crap camera phones, I can’t get a particularly good look at my pupils. There was one where it looked bigger but whether that was a trick if the light, who knows?!

I think my eldest daughter has one pupil slightly bigger too. I’ve also noticed that I perceive colour slightly differently in both eyes so of course I’m very worried about that now too and have convinced myself I have a brain tumour or an aneurysm that’s ready to burst. Pleased to hear that all of your tests came back clear! That must be somewhat reassuring. Health anxiety really sucks 😢

It really is hard to live with isn’t it? I have so many things that make me worry about my health, but I am slowly coming to realize that our bodies can make us feel all sorts of very real symptoms from anxiety.
I still can’t watch the tv without shutting one eye, it makes me dizzy otherwise. Not related to the pupils though apparently (it’s possibly due to dry eyes) - like you I was told that reacting normally to light was a positive sign.
I hope your eye appointment puts your mind at rest.