Don't Miss This! Red Flags in the Pediatric Eye Exam: Pupils

Abstract

The pupillary exam in the pediatric population is a vital part of any clinician's workup. In the right clinical setting, pupillary abnormalities such as anisocoria, light-near dissociation, an afferent pupillary defect, and paradoxic pupillary constriction in the dark can be red flags that trigger further examination and workup. Through both careful physical examination and detailed history-taking and observation, potentially vision- and life-threatening conditions can be detected.

Keywords: Horner syndrome; Pupil; dorsal midbrain syndrome; paradoxic pupils; third nerve palsy.