Medically reviewed by Christine L. Larsen, MD Medications, trauma, and medical conditions can lead to abnormally small pupils (miosis). In miosis, the pupil is smaller than it should be, even in ...

Small, constricted pupils can be a side effect of opioid use. Learn about other signs to watch for and how to bring up your concerns in a helpful, compassionate way.

Pinpoint pupils, called miosis or pupillary miosis, are when they're small or constricted, even when the light changes. The condition can happen in both eyes or just one.

Smaller, constricted pupils can indicate opioid use. When a person uses opioids, the parasympathetic nervous system causes the iris to contract, making the pupils small.

Generally, constricted pupils indicate that the parasympathetic nerve is activated. On the other hand, dilated pupils refer to the activation of the sympathetic nerve.

The study team found that people were more attracted to animals with dilated pupils and bright irises. Cognition and Emotion. Folks involved in the study rated primates with brighter irises as ...

The paper, "Beauty is in the iris: Constricted pupils (enlarged irises) enhance attractiveness," is published online in Cognition.The researchers conducted six experiments testing the effects of ...