# Glowing (eye) pupils in black light **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 27, 2005, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899 "2005-01-27T10:31:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![runawaygroom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3be4f8/32.png) [@runawaygroom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runawaygroom)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/21 "2010-09-25T02:23:14Z")
I went to a health screening for work. I was instructed to place my face in this box which had mirrors to show me the reflection and the image of ultra violet damage being done to the skin. Of course I expected the whites of my eyes to show up under the black light. The CNA giving the screening for this test said, “Oh, wow, your eyes look so green.” She was talking about the black pupil area of my eye. Yes, very weird. I have to say. She said this like she has never encountered this before on her job. How many people does she screen a year? @robotic_panda: I haven’t seen a response in which someone has the answer to your findings. Do not freak out, I share in your fact finding mission. I looked directly into the sun during a solar eclipse back in 1994, maybe this has caused some disturbance to the eye? ---
**Author:** ![Conspicuous\_Conspiracist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5fc32e/32.png) [@Conspicuous\_Conspiracist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Conspicuous_Conspiracist)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/22 "2010-09-26T15:28:24Z")
So now we not only have to be worried about robotic\_pandas, XRay vision, cataracts, diabetes, etc., but also have to be on the lookout for zombies - Yikes. ---
**Author:** ![vestephan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c5a1d2/32.png) [@vestephan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vestephan)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/23 "2010-12-22T17:45:42Z")
My pupils glow under black light as well. I also have one other friend to whom this happens. My vision is -2.5 and am in perfect health otherwise (certainly not diabetic and no family cataract history). I’m very curious, though, as to why. It doesn’t happen to anyone else in my family. ---
**Author:** ![vestephan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c5a1d2/32.png) [@vestephan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vestephan)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/24 "2010-12-22T17:53:23Z")
“I looked directly into the sun during a solar eclipse back in 1994, maybe this has caused some disturbance to the eye.” Funny, in that same year, when I was eleven, I directly watched a very intensely bright sunset through binoculars that I could tell afterward had hurt my eyes. It was a spectacularly indelible experience, though. I don’t think it has anything to do with anything, but grasping at possibilities is fun. I’m just surprised that research doesn’t seem to have been done on this. ---
**Author:** ![cromulent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b4bc9f/32.png) [@cromulent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cromulent)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2010, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/25 "2010-12-23T01:08:22Z")
Is it possible you simply have larger pupils than your friends, leading to more visible reflection of light? Pupil size varies widely; you might just have naturally big pupils. Or heck, maybe you’ve ingested some pupil-dilating substance (accidentally, of course…) ---
**Author:** ![Grateful-UnDead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ccd318/32.png) [@Grateful-UnDead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grateful-UnDead)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2010, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/26 "2010-12-23T06:29:36Z")
Not wanting to scare you or anything, but there are certain ocular tumors that are initially detected by their visible reflective properties. Some of these can be spotted in group flash photographs: most of the people in the picture have “red eye”, but the person with the eye tumor has distinctly differently colored eyes in the photo; ie: not “red eye”. In fact, this observation of the person’s eyes in a flash photo is how many of these tumors are first noticed. My suggestion is that you should go to an ophthalmologist and have this checked out. ---
**Author:** ![violetlight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@violetlight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/violetlight)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/27 "2011-01-12T18:07:36Z")
> [@robotic\_panda](#): > > I have been wondering this for quite a while. When my eyes are exposed to a black light, a common, flourescent tube type, my pupils glow greenish blue. When my friends and I discovered this, we tried in every way to recreate it, with all of them, but I was the only one with the Glowing Pupils. The only way we ever duplicated the effect was with my friend’s cat, and her eyes glowed exactly the same. We never had another cat to try it with, and I still wonder to this day, why? > Why do my pupils glow in flourescent black light, and no one else’s? > If you can try this on yourself, or a cat, report back… I just want to know why. My eyes do the same thing. I don’t know anyone else around me with this abnormality. I suppose maybe we have something in common. It would take a scientific study to find out what and why. I’m not sure if anyone wants to study us further. All I know is it makes us different. I hope you are able to read this. If we are a different strain of humanity it would mean we are a mutation of a single genetic string. Is there anything else different about you? ---
**Author:** ![Vahid\_Tarzan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3e96dc/32.png) [@Vahid\_Tarzan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vahid_Tarzan)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/28 "2011-08-18T08:24:38Z")
I would stare at the sun as a child. I thought people were stupid for not seeing it. That was in the 60s… Maybe the sun has changed. I still see the sun, but it’s awfully bright these days. I’ve just discovered green eyes myself. I’ve held a low intensity blu-ray laser at it and watched what appeared to be the polarization of living organisms. Strange behavior… Intense blue light actually appears to diminish or claim the green activity. I don’t know what it is, I’ve been searching. Does any one else have the urge to go stomp on Tokyo? ---
**Author:** ![Vahid\_Tarzan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3e96dc/32.png) [@Vahid\_Tarzan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vahid_Tarzan)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/29 "2011-08-18T09:04:43Z")
Will moderators delete this and my above post. I’ve detected Pureguardian threats attached to my posts. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/30 "2011-08-18T14:37:56Z")
> [@Vahid\_Tarzan](#): > > Will moderators delete this and my above post. I’ve detected Pureguardian threats attached to my posts. Thank you! [moderating] I’m not sure whether you’re talking about “[Pure Guard](http://www.pureguardian.com/)” anti-virus software, a “[Pure Guardian](http://www.facebook.com/notes/vacuums/pure-guardian-h1600-digital-ultrasonic-midsize-humidifier-discount-cheap/263209523689587)” room humidifier, or some “[Pure Guardian](http://6thfloor.org/creepypastas/pureguardian.php)” Pokémon fan fiction, but the above post has none of the above, so I don’t think it’s necessary to delete it. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Vahid\_Tarzan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3e96dc/32.png) [@Vahid\_Tarzan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vahid_Tarzan)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/31 "2011-08-18T15:56:52Z")
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:30, topic:286899”] [moderating] I’m not sure whether you’re talking about “[Pure Guard](http://www.pureguardian.com/)” anti-virus software, a “[Pure Guardian](http://www.facebook.com/notes/vacuums/pure-guardian-h1600-digital-ultrasonic-midsize-humidifier-discount-cheap/263209523689587)” room humidifier, or some “[Pure Guardian](http://6thfloor.org/creepypastas/pureguardian.php)” Pokémon fan fiction, but the above post has none of the above, so I don’t think it’s necessary to delete it. [/moderating] [/QUOTE] Peerblock. My bad. ---
**Author:** ![Dufus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c77e96/32.png) [@Dufus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dufus)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/32 "2011-08-18T16:45:52Z")
> [@](#): > > is there a history of cataracts in your family? > are you diabetic? > see the doc and tell him > It could be kidney or liver failure > Not wanting to scare you or anything > there are certain ocular tumors > Not wanting to be the harbinger of doom > you should go to an ophthalmologist > creepy > Is there anything else different about you? If you think this is bad, you should have seen the thread where someone asked about songs getting stuck in their head. If they followed the advice given, they are trying to get intensive care in a psychiatric hosital right now. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Vahid\_Tarzan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3e96dc/32.png) [@Vahid\_Tarzan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vahid_Tarzan)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/33 "2011-08-19T15:25:54Z")
Staff are illogical. ---
**Author:** ![Vahid\_Tarzan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3e96dc/32.png) [@Vahid\_Tarzan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vahid_Tarzan)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/34 "2011-08-19T15:27:59Z")
The staff here are illogical. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/35 "2011-08-19T16:21:28Z")
> [@Vahid\_Tarzan](#): > > I would stare at the sun as a child. I thought people were stupid for not seeing it. That was in the 60s… Maybe the sun has changed. I still see the sun, but it’s awfully bright these days. I’ve just discovered green eyes myself. I’ve held a low intensity blu-ray laser at it and watched what appeared to be the polarization of living organisms. Strange behavior… Intense blue light actually appears to diminish or claim the green activity. I don’t know what it is, I’ve been searching. Does any one else have the urge to go stomp on Tokyo? > [@Vahid\_Tarzan](#): > > Staff are illogical. > [@Vahid\_Tarzan](#): > > The staff here are illogical. Is this a whoosh? If not, you may want to get to a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/36 "2011-08-19T17:42:15Z")
> [@Vahid\_Tarzan](#): > > The staff here are illogical. [moderator note] Moderator action is to be discussed in the ATMB forum. Please pay attention to where you are posting. I recommend reading the FAQ and understanding a little bit about the board culture before you post anything else. [/moderator note] ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/37 "2011-08-19T18:50:48Z")
Your corneas are a natural filter for UV light. It’s certainly not 100% effective, but could this mean his corneas have little UV protection, or degradation in this regard? If so, you may be apt to snow blindness (sunburn on your retina). I’d go see an opthamologist, just to be prudent. ---
**Author:** ![oliver777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e495f1/32.png) [@oliver777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliver777)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/38 "2015-11-14T06:44:18Z")
so listen (or read, w.e) i’m 14 and i just bought this UV flashlight and noticed my eyes glow green with black light. i decided to do some research and i ended up here, and after seeing all the replies, and by my own evidence, whoever said something about us being different is definitely right. idk how old you guys who also have the glow eyes are, but im pretty sure it doesn’t have an age limit, whatever this is. and it’s hereditary. i found this out because i asked my mother about it and when i tried it on her she had the same glowing eyes like me. or us, since there’s others with this problem. or disease. and i think it is a disease of some sort because i just found about my glowing eyes yesterday but I’ve been having headaches every day since 6 months ago. to robotic-panda: do you have any of these symptoms? when exactly did you find out about your eyes? have you checked with the doctor yet? i ask that last one cuz i haven’t. and to anyone else with the “glow eyes”, if you have or find any info on this, plz post here so everyone with the glow eyes can see. thanks ---
**Author:** ![Feli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6bbea6/32.png) [@Feli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feli)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/39 "2016-10-18T19:53:00Z")
[QUOTE=oliver777; I as well, have this glowing of my eyes. I am 34, and am healthy. No diabetes or cataracts (just had an eye exam for new glasses) and no contacts. I don’t know its genetic, because my two children don’t have it. ---
**Author:** ![deniseblair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@deniseblair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deniseblair)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899/40 "2017-01-19T10:25:38Z")
I am 54 and my pupils glow under black light too. My intuition tells me it is yeast overgrowth/candida. Are any of you redheads? Just curious. Redheads are from another planet. Maybe that’s it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glowing-eye-pupils-in-black-light/286899.md?page=3)