What does it mean when the pupil is dilated to the edge? Does it mean there is no hope?

We all know that pupil dilation is a common eye symptom that occurs in many people, such as after taking eye medication or being stimulated by light, which can cause a person's pupil to dilate or shrink. So what does it mean when the pupil dilates to the edge? Let's take a closer look!

If the pupil is dilated to the edge, does it mean death?

No matter how dilated the pupil is, the person will not die. In other words, it is death that causes the pupil to dilate. Normal people will also have dilated pupils and weakened or disappeared light reflexes when they use mydriatic drugs, such as atropine, have sympathetic or parasympathetic nerve lesions, or have epileptic seizures. The specific dilation of the pupil of the deceased varies from person to person, but in most cases, the pupil can dilate to the edge when they die, that is, it can be enlarged to the edge of the entire cornea, with a specific diameter of about 10 mm, and the light reflex completely disappears, and the cornea and lens may become opacified.

Is there any hope for my pupil to be dilated to the edge?

The diameter of the human pupil can be less than 1mm, and when it is extremely dilated, it can be greater than 9mm. The average person's pupil is 3mm. If it is more than 5mm, it will appear at the time of death, and it will become larger more than a minute after death. Generally, if it is brain death, the pupil will be dilated to about 8mm. Of course, pupil dilation is not a criterion for judging death.

Let me put it this way, pupil dilation does not necessarily mean death, but brain death will definitely be accompanied by pupil dilation to the edge.

The specific situation still needs to be judged by professional hospital doctors based on the on-site situation.

Why do pupils dilate after death?

In fact, this is because after a person dies, the body's vital signs disappear, and it is also one of the manifestations of brain death. The dilation and fixation of the pupil after death is often used as one of the bases for judging death. Specifically, it means that the pupil diameter is greater than 5mm, and the pupil size will not change when light is shone into the eyes.

After a person dies, brain activity stops and the brain nerves stop being excited (the parasympathetic nerve function decreases), causing the sympathetic nerve function to be expressed, which is the main reason for the dilated pupils.