Eyes

[peachy]

I noticed when I started having seizures that my pupils became very small. Is this typical of epilepsy? I notice also that on days that I have many seizures that they are small and sometimes on days that I do not have any seizures they are larger. I noticed too that when I started Vimpat? or around that time that my eyes twitch back and forth. Is there any correlation?

[epileric]

I know that my seizures sometimes control where my eyes go but during my seizures my pupils dilate instead of contracting.

I was told that pupil dilation during a seizure is normal.

[Endless]

Hi, Peachy.

Seizures can cause changes in the autonomic nervous system. Pupil size is one of those.

http://www.epilepsyontario.org/clien...rtial+Seizures

Some of the other folks in here have posted about goosebumps, nausea, sweating, etc. That's the autonomic system, too.

[huskymom]

Welcome Peachy!

I am also on Vimpat (with other drugs too) and have noticed no side effects, but remember, we are all different, so what doesn't effect me, may effect you!

[Nakamova]

Your eyes going back and forth is called "nystagmus" and it is a side effect of a number of the anti-epileptic drugs. It could be a sign that you are on too high a dose, so mention it to your doctor.

[douglas]

how can you guys tell what size you pupils are during seizure?

[epileric]

how can you guys tell what size you pupils are during seizure?

Easy..... I just look in the mirror, of course when someone looks at you with wide eyes & says "are you high"? you know your pupils are larger than normal lol.

[douglas]

smart ass. :-)
i assume you are looking or someone else is looking while you are having partials. i cant think straight to remember to look in a mirror when i have partials. and there is no way someone can look in my eyes while i have grand mal.

[peachy]

Well, my daughter told me they were smaller during bad seizure days. Weird, one of my first seizures I was driving and got in an accident. The police officer asked me if I was high. I told him that I'd never taken any drugs. He noticed that my pupils were little tiny dots. Never been that way before and have been that way ever since. But are worse when seizures are occuring (parial complex). Since I can't tell when I've had seizures I can check out the mirror....

[epileric]

If you have any friends that know you well enough to be able to tell when you're having a partial, tell them to check your eyes next time.

[Ann T.]

Hi Peachy & Epileric:

I know that when I have complex partials, I 'zone out' which simply means I cannot hear, nor see what's going on around me or what I'm doing: literally, my world goes black. Does pupil constriction (pupils getting smaller) before a seizure explain why I can't see anything, anyone, or what I'm doing during my complex partial seizures? *PS: As always in addition to Peachy & Epileric, anyone is free to answer my questions. Take care everyone. :~)

[douglas]

This is an interesting thread. I have a recent story that might be within the scope of the topic.

I have one type of partial seizures which occur quite regularly for me even though I am no meds. Every few months or so I go through a day or two of these partials which keep re-curring throughout the day. They occur every few hours or every 30 mins and somethings it seems every few minutes. They occur so often that I cant be bothered to log them all. I just log the day. I usually just stay calm and wait for these partials to go away on their own.

Anyways, these partials affect my ears and hearing. Everything I hear, including voices, external sounds, my own voice, anything at all, just makes no sense to me and I keep hearing them in rhythms or patterns.

So, we were at a family party a few weeks ago. My wife was there. And it was one of those days when I was having these partials. I remember having to converse with people around me and with my wife while I was having these partials. Anyways, the following day, i asked my wife if I was acting weird or if I was talking weird or if she noticed anything weird at all about me at the party. She said not at all. I will try to remember to ask her next time to look in my eyes and take note of my pupil size.

I still found it very strange. Because I swear, while I am having this type of partials, no sounds are making any sense to me inside my brain but I am conscious am able to use my vision and my vision does make sense to my brain.

[Crystal11]

I have complex partial seizures and it controls my eyes and forces them to the right and sometimes my head and body go to the right. I am not too aware after that point. My eyes stay "stuck" that way for a while.

My neurologist told me that my seizures are coming from the left side of my brain causing everything to effect my right side of my body..
I also have Nystagmus which I have had since birth. It is a neurological condition that controls my eyes and causes them to jerk all day long. Its pendular Nystagmus and sometimes when I'm tired, I can see everything moving around up and down then left to right. I see everything moving all day long and it stops for a few seconds and then back to it again. I am also deafblind with residual vision and hearing and vision impairement causes Nystagmus for most- I have several eye conditions and was born three months early.

Anyway- if you have Nystagmus type thing going on with your eyes, it can mean med toxicity- so I would definity talk to your doctor!

Take care
Crystal

[daisy.girl]

I too see things around me are jumping up and down...I didn't realize it could be my eyes. It is just once in a while. I am on a very low dose of medication, so I don't think it could be toxicity. Can it be a seizure?
Boy......I have soooooooooooo much to learn!!

[peachy]

Interesting that it COULD be the medications. I am on the max recommended dosage of Keppra XR and OVER the max dosage of Vipmat. But as I said earlier, the small pupils started at the time my seizures began and the eyes going back and forth started hmmm, after the seizures began--probably at the beginning. My first medication was Keppra.

[hootie]

My son's eyes look funny when he is about to have a series of absence seizures. I'm not sure if they look funny because his pupils are dilated because his eyes are dark brown and it is hard to tell. I will have to take a closer look next time when I see that strange look in his eyes.

[crazybarbie]

This is sooooooooooo interesting!!!

Just a couple weeks ago I had a seizure. Immeditately afterwards my face was droopy on the right side and my hubby tells me that my left eye pupil was much larger than my right. We ended up in the Emerg Dept. Stroke was ruled out and I was diagnosed with Bell's Palsy. A couple weeks now and my right eye is STILL a bit smaller than left.

Very interesting to hear that seizures do and can effect eyes.

I have an appointment with my Neurologist tomorrow and plan to discuss this with him.

[lindinig]

My son's pupils dilate when he is in seizure-mode. Sometimes they get bloodshot, though I don't think that happened the last time. He also has nystagmus which is aggrevated when he is sick or tired. He's had it ever since he got the chicken pox when he was 8 months old. On normal days, it's barely detectable.

[Nakamova]

I had nystagmus when I was on too high a dose of Dilantin. No fun.