When you inspect a patient's pupils with a penlight, the pupils should normally react to the light by:

When you inspect a patient's pupils with a penlight, the pupils should normally react to the light by:

• A. Dilating
• B. Remaining the same
• C. Constricting
• D. Becoming irregular

Answer: (C)

Pupillary light reflex is the automatic narrowing of the pupil when light shines into the eye. When bright light hits the retina, signals travel to the brain and trigger the parasympathetic system to contract the iris sphincter muscle, making the pupil smaller. This constriction helps protect the retina from too much light and sharpens vision. So the normal response is for the pupil to constrict in bright light. If you see dilation, no change, or an irregular shape, that suggests something is interfering with the reflex or with the iris/nerve pathways and would warrant further assessment.

Pupillary light reflex is the automatic narrowing of the pupil when light shines into the eye. When bright light hits the retina, signals travel to the brain and trigger the parasympathetic system to contract the iris sphincter muscle, making the pupil smaller. This constriction helps protect the retina from too much light and sharpens vision.

So the normal response is for the pupil to constrict in bright light. If you see dilation, no change, or an irregular shape, that suggests something is interfering with the reflex or with the iris/nerve pathways and would warrant further assessment.