PURPOSE: We report a case of a male with bilateral tonic pupils associated with syphilis, that partially improved after syphilis treatment. CASE SUMMARY: A 27-year-old male presented with a 2-month history of near vision impairment. The right and left pupils were 5.5 mm and 6.5 mm in diameter, respectively, in the dark and 5.3 mm and 6.1 mm, respectively, in the light. Both pupils demonstrated light-near dissociation, slow constriction and redilation when looking at near, and constriction after instillation of 0.0625% pilocarpine. Serological tests were positive for syphilis, while cerebrospinal fluid testing was negative. Two months after treatment with intramuscular injection of benzathine penicillin G, his near vision subjectively improved and the right and left pupils were 5.9 mm and 6.4 mm, respectively, in the dark and 4.8 mm and 5.3 mm, respectively, in the light. The size of both pupils decreased and the pupillary light responses partially improved in both eyes. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with bilateral tonic pupils should have serological tests for syphilis. Recovery of tonic pupils can be expected after early treatment with effective antibiotics.
Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Constriction ; Humans ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Male ; Penicillin G Benzathine ; Pilocarpine ; Pupil ; Serologic Tests ; Syphilis ; Tonic Pupil

The pupillary size and movement are controlled dynamically by the autonomic nervous system; the parasympathetic system constricts the iris, while the sympathetic system dilates the iris. Under normal conditions, these constrictions and dilations occur identically in both eyes. Asymmetry in the pupillomotor neural input or output leads to impaired pupillary movement on one side and an unequal pupil size between both eyes. Anisocoria is one of the most common signs in neuro-ophthalmology, and the neurological disorders that frequently cause anisocoria include serious diseases, such as vascular dissection, fistula, and aneurysm. A careful history and examination can identify and localize pupillary disorders and provide a guide for appropriate evaluations.
Aneurysm ; Anisocoria ; Autonomic Nervous System ; Constriction ; Fistula ; Horner Syndrome ; Iris ; Nervous System Diseases ; Pupil ; Pupil Disorders ; Tonic Pupil

The pupillary size and movement are controlled dynamically by the autonomic nervous system; the parasympathetic system constricts the iris, while the sympathetic system dilates the iris. Under normal conditions, these constrictions and dilations occur identically in both eyes. Asymmetry in the pupillomotor neural input or output leads to impaired pupillary movement on one side and an unequal pupil size between both eyes. Anisocoria is one of the most common signs in neuro-ophthalmology, and the neurological disorders that frequently cause anisocoria include serious diseases, such as vascular dissection, fistula, and aneurysm. A careful history and examination can identify and localize pupillary disorders and provide a guide for appropriate evaluations.
Aneurysm ; Anisocoria ; Autonomic Nervous System ; Constriction ; Fistula ; Horner Syndrome ; Iris ; Nervous System Diseases ; Pupil ; Pupil Disorders ; Tonic Pupil

Ross syndrome is characterized by a triad of segmental anhidrosis, tonic pupil, and generalized areflexia. Selective postganglionic autonomic denervation could be the differential diagnostic point for other diseases of the autonomic nervous system. Here we report a patient with regional anhidrosis in his left hand and sole, and anisocoria. An evaluation of sweating and the pupillary response together with generalized areflexia confirmed the diagnosis of Ross syndrome. The finger wrinkle test is a simple and useful tool for revealing segmental sympathetic denervation.
Anisocoria* ; Autonomic Denervation ; Autonomic Nervous System ; Diagnosis ; Fingers* ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypohidrosis* ; Sweat ; Sweating ; Sympathectomy ; Tonic Pupil

PURPOSE: To report the clinical features of Adie's tonic pupil. METHODS: The medical records of 22 patients who had been diagnosed with Adie's tonic pupil from February 1998 to February 2009, were retrospectively reviewed. On March 2010, a cross-sectional examination was performed in 16 patients (19 eyes) who underwent a follow-up of more than 1 year. Measurements included pupil size in room light, bright light and in darkness; near point of accommodation; presence of segmental iris palsy; light-near dissociation; denervation supersensitivity; corneal sensitivity; and deep tendon reflex (DTR). RESULTS: Among the patients studied, 16 were women in Adie's tonic pupils. Only 3 of patients had bilateral involvement. The mean age of onset was 38.3 years. The mean size of Adie's tonic pupils was 2.3 mm larger than the fellow eyes. Segmental iris palsy was detected in 93.8% of the patients. Denervation supersensitivity was observed in all patients. Light-near dissociation was present in 88.2% and over 90% of the patients had decreased DTR in the biceps, triceps, knee and ankle jerk. CONCLUSIONS: This cross-sectional study showed Adie's tonic pupil tended to become miotic and recover accommodation power over the years.
Age of Onset ; Animals ; Ankle ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Denervation ; Dissociative Disorders ; Eye ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Iris ; Knee ; Light ; Medical Records ; Paralysis ; Pupil ; Reflex, Stretch ; Retrospective Studies ; Tonic Pupil

No abstract available.
Neurosyphilis ; Pilocarpine ; Tonic Pupil

BACKGROUND: While tonic pupils have been attributed to various diseases, including syphilis, herpes zoster, orbital trauma, temporal arteritis, endometriosis, and paraneoplastic syndromes, obstructive hydrocephalus has not been implicated. CASE REPORT: A 36-year-old woman visited a neurology department with a 7-day history of throbbing headache and blurred vision in both eyes. She had early dorsal midbrain syndrome mimicking an Adie's tonic pupil, and cholinergic supersensitivity was demonstrated using topical 0.125% pilocarpine. Brain MRI revealed obstructive hydrocephalus at the level of the aqueduct of Sylvius, and her symptoms resolved 4 days after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: We report a patient with early dorsal midbrain syndrome that was initially believed to represent a tonic pupil on the basis of pharmacologic testing. The findings in our patient suggested that early dorsal midbrain syndrome mimicking an Adie's tonic pupil can be caused by obstructive hydrocephalus compressing the Edinger-Westphal nucleus.
Adult ; Brain ; Cerebral Aqueduct ; Endometriosis ; Eye ; Female ; Giant Cell Arteritis ; Headache ; Herpes Zoster ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Mesencephalon ; Neurology ; Orbit ; Paraneoplastic Syndromes ; Pilocarpine ; Syphilis ; Tonic Pupil ; Vision, Ocular

Orbital trauma and surgery are recognised aetiological factors of tonic pupil. Tonic or Adie's pupil is an efferent pupil defect in which light reactions to one or more segments of the iris sphincter are lost due to the postganglionic parasympathetic nerves damage from ciliary ganglion. There is loss of part or all of the light reflex and decrease in accommodative functions at near. We report a case of tonic pupil in a 42-year-lady after a successful surgical removal of an orbital cavernous haemangioma.
Tonic Pupil ; Haemangioma, Carvenous ; Adie Syndrome

Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease that presents mainly as dry eyes and mouth, and occasionally with extra-glandular symptoms. A peripheral neuropathy is present in 10~30% of the cases with extra-glandular symptoms, although a tonic pupil caused by destruction of the ciliary ganglion is rare. We report a case of rheumatoid arthritis with Sjogren's syndrome presenting as a tonic pupil. A 29-year-old woman was admitted for evaluation of polyarthralgia and a tonic pupil. On physical examination, she had polyarthritis involving the jaws, shoulders, wrists, and hands. Her pupils were anisocoric and did not react to light, but constricted promptly to pilocarpine. Biopsy of the minor salivary gland showed lymphocyte infiltration. Rose-Bengal stain was positive. She was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis with Sjogren's syndrome and treated with prednisolone and hydroxychloroquine. Three months later, her polyarthritis had improved markedly, but she still had a tonic pupil.
Adult ; Arthralgia ; Arthritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Biopsy ; Eye ; Female ; Ganglion Cysts ; Hand ; Humans ; Hydroxychloroquine ; Jaw ; Light ; Lymphocytes ; Mouth ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Physical Examination ; Pilocarpine ; Prednisolone ; Pupil ; Salivary Glands, Minor ; Shoulder ; Sjogren's Syndrome ; Tonic Pupil ; Wrist

PURPOSE: Denervation supersensitivity to 0.125% pilocarpine is an important factor in making a diagnosis of Adie's tonic pupil. However, it generally takes several weeks for denervation supersensitivity to manifest after an injury to the nerve ganglion. We report a case of 'acute' Adie's tonic pupil before the manifestation of denervation supersensitivity. CASE SUMMARY: A 53-year-old man with no significant past medical history visited our clinic, reporting mydriasis of his left eye. Pupil size was 8 mm in the right eye, 3 mm in the left. Loss of both direct/indirect light reflex and light-near reflex were observed. The left pupil did not react to 0.125% Pilocarpine, but constricted in response to 1% pilocarpine. After 5 months, the pupil size did not change, but the pupil constricted in response to 0.125% pilocarpine. CONCLUSIONS: In an isolated case of dilated pupil, though the pupil did not react to 0.125% pilocarpine, with respect to the Adie's tonic pupil, to check the manifestation of denervation supersensitivity should be needed at regular intervals.
Denervation ; Eye ; Ganglion Cysts ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Light ; Middle Aged ; Mydriasis ; Pilocarpine ; Pupil ; Reflex ; Tonic Pupil