Sluggishness of Pupillary Light Contraction in Patients with Meniere's Disease

Abstract

The pupillary light responses of both eyes were analysed simultaneously at both the attack and/or quasiattack stages and the interval stage in 10 patients with Meniere's disease, using a computed pupillograph. A sluggishness of pupillary contraction on the affected side was found at the attack and/or quasiattack stage in 8 out of 10 cases, and disappeared at the interval stage in 7 out of the 8 cases. However, no significant differences between the left and right pupillary contractions were revealed during caloric irrigation of the left or right ear in 10 normal subjects. Therefore, it can be concluded that the parasympathetic defect detected by the sluggishness of pupillary contraction on the affected side is directly related to the cause of Meniere's disease and is not the result of a labyrinthine disorder caused by the disease.

Key Words:

• computed pupillograph
• vertiginous spell
• parasympathetic defect