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Does Adderall usage cause extreme pupil dilation?

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Official Answer Medically reviewed by C. Fookes, BPharm. Last updated on Sep 4, 2019.

Yes, pupil dilation is a common side effect of Adderall, although it is usually only temporary. If your pupils are extremely dilated all the time, you may be taking too much Adderall, and you should talk to your doctor about this.

Our pupils are the black centers of our eyes and they typically constrict (get smaller) in response to bright light and dilate (get larger) in response to dull or no light. Trauma, medications, and certain medical conditions can cause an abnormal pupil response.

Adderall is a combination of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine which are both central nervous system stimulants. Part of their effect is stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, and the release of noradrenaline and adrenaline, which activates the “flight or fight” response. This causes effects such as pupil dilation, increased sweating, increased heart rate, and increased blood pressure.

For most people, pupil dilation isn’t a problem; however, for people with glaucoma it may cause their condition to worsen, and Adderall should not be used. Some people may also experience blurred vision or trouble focusing when taking Adderall.

Seek medical advice if blurred vision or continuously dilated pupils persist.

Votes: +0
mfpdfibro 20 Sep 2013

Yes because it is an amphetamine. Amphetamines elevate the heart and therefore dilates all blood vessels including the ones that make your pupils dilated.

Votes: +0
bdj93 19 March 2018

This is wrong on so many levels..

Fritz1990 3 June 2022

You're correct about it elevating the heart rate, but it certainly doesn't dilate the blood vessels, it actually constricts them. It's the construction of the blood vessels that makes the heart need to work harder to pump blood around the body. Taking Magnesium Glycinate can help to combat this effect and lower the heart rate by dilating the vessels. The pupils dilate in response to Norepinephrine. Amphetamine stimulates the release of Norepinephrine along with Dopamine, Norepinephrine activates the adrenergic receptors which trigger the bodies fight or flight response. The pupils dilate when the body is in fight or flight mode to sharpen vision, as the brain thinks that you are under threat and need to be more alert to incoming danger.

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