What Are ‘Bipolar Eyes’?

What Are ‘Bipolar Eyes’?

What Are ‘Bipolar Eyes’?
Everyday Health
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Published on September 5, 2025
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Bipolar disorder is a complex mental health condition characterized by a potential breadth of both manic and depressive symptoms, such as a euphoric mood and decreased need for sleep, shifting to loss of interest in activities, difficulty concentrating, and feeling hopeless.

 It can be challenging to detect when these changes, known as mood episodes, are happening, but for some with bipolar, differences in their eyes may be a telltale sign.

This effect, known colloquially as “bipolar eyes,” doesn’t happen to everyone and isn’t considered a hallmark symptom of the condition. However, it may be noticeable during a manic episode for some, says the psychiatrist Alex Dimitriu, MD, founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine in California, and a medical reviewer at Everyday Health.

“‘Bipolar eyes’ is a nonclinical term used to describe the look of someone in a manic episode, where the eyes convey excess energy or excitement,” he says. But, changes in eye appearance are just one potential part of a bigger picture when it comes to diagnosing and managing bipolar disorder.

What Do ‘Bipolar Eyes’ Look Like?

With a manic episode in bipolar disorder, increased levels of norepinephrine and dopamine flow through the body, says Dr. Dimitriu. Levels of glutamate also increase during an episode.

These substances are natural chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) that play significant roles in mood, attention, memory, and perceptions of reward. When they’re elevated, a person tends to seem much more energized and excited, which can be reflected in how their eyes appear, he says.

 According to Dimitriu, this can result in:
  • Dilated pupils
  • An intense stare
  • Eyes that may change color or look darker due to larger pupils
  • Rapidly darting eye movements
  • Reduced blinking
  • Smaller eyelids since eyes are open wider
  • Eyes that seem sparkling
“With the eyes like this, people can appear agitated and more alert,” he says. “That effect can be heightened with other signs of physical hyperactivity.” For instance, someone with “bipolar eyes” may seem to have trouble sitting still and be constantly fidgeting.

The term is usually used for manic episodes, but “bipolar eyes” can refer to changes during depressive episodes as well, says Dimitriu.

"During depression, eyes might have the opposite effect,” he says. “Pupils can become small and eyelids may seem heavier. People might look tired and lose the ‘gleam’ in their eyes. Their gaze may involve avoiding eye contact and looking off to the side.”

As mentioned, although “bipolar eyes” may appear during a mood episode, especially mania, the hallmark symptoms of manic or depressive episodes are likely occurring, too. Common symptoms of a manic episode may include:

  • Noticeably increased euphoria, energy, or irritability
  • Grandiosity, or an exaggerated sense of self-confidence or well-being
  • Reduced need for sleep
  • Unusual talkativeness or rapid speech
  • Racing thoughts or easy distractability
  • Increased impulsive behaviors
  • Poor or risky decision-making, such as going on shopping sprees or having risky sex
Common symptoms of a depressive episode may include:

  • Sad or depressed mood
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities
  • Sleeping too little or too much
  • Appetite changes that result in unintentional weight gain or loss
  • Restlessness
  • Talking or moving more slowly than normal
  • Fatigue
  • Worthlessness, hopelessness, or guilt
  • Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
  • Suicidal thoughts or behaviors

What Does Research Show About ‘Bipolar Eyes’?

Although research on eye appearance with bipolar disorder is limited, some research shows associations between bipolar disorder and changes in eye function.

For example, in one study on schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, researchers evaluated eye-tracking tasks, called vergence eye movements. These involve the eyes moving in different directions to maintain focus on an object as its distance from the subject changes. In the research, those with bipolar showed difficulty with coordinating their eye movements to follow the object effectively, in part because they tended to have more rapid, jerky eye movements rather than smooth, coordinated ones.

More research is still needed to learn about potential eye changes that can happen in people with bipolar disorder.

Are ‘Bipolar Eyes’ a Real Thing?

Although “bipolar eyes” is not a clinical term, the type of brain chemical changes experienced during bipolar episodes, which can cause changes in eye appearance, are indeed a real thing. The best way to manage these chemical changes is through medical treatment.

The surge and drop in norepinephrine, dopamine, and other brain chemicals are the focus of medications for the condition, since they can influence these neurotransmitters, says Hilary Blumberg, MD, director of the Mood Disorders Research Program and professor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut.

However, if the presence of “bipolar eyes” makes you or your loved one feel like their bipolar disorder isn’t being adequately managed, talk to your doctor about other treatment options you could try, she says. That’s especially true if they’re accompanied by other symptoms that seem intense or severe, says Dimitriu.

“There can be a misconception that there are limited treatments available for bipolar disorder,” says Dr. Blumberg. “Sometimes staying on the same medication is possible with a change in dose or a way to minimize the side effects, but there are also now multiple different types of medications that can be effective.”

Several non-medication interventions can also be helpful alongside medication, including talk therapy and therapies that provide behavioral strategies such as changing sleep patterns and helping to educate and engage support systems, Blumberg adds.

“With many treatment options out there, there is often hope to find improved ways to feel better,” she says.

The Takeaway

  • Due to changes in brain chemicals during a manic episode of bipolar disorder, there may be a change in the appearance and function of the eyes.
  • Depressive episodes may lead to some eye changes as well, such as smaller pupils and heavier eyelids.
  • “Bipolar eyes” is not a clinical term, but it may be helpful in assessing whether there is a change in bipolar symptoms.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Bipolar disorder. Mayo Clinic. August 14, 2024.
  2. Lee JG et al. Neuromolecular Etiology of Bipolar Disorder: Possible Therapeutic Targets of Mood Stabilizers. Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience. May 31, 2022.
  3. Parker G et al. Bipolar eyes: Windows to the pole? The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. August 26, 2023.
  4. Pompili M et al. The Management of Psychomotor Agitation Associated with Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder: A Brief Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. April 20, 2021.
  5. Bipolar disorder: Symptoms & Causes. Mayo Clinic. August 14, 2024.
  6. Chrobak AA et al. Vergence eye movements impairments in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Journal of Psychiatric Research. December 2022.
  7. Butler M et al. Treatment for Bipolar Disorder in Adults. Comparative Effectiveness Review. August 2018.
  8. Gold AK et al. The role of sleep in bipolar disorder. Nature and Science of Sleep. June 29, 2016.
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Lee S. Cohen, MD

Medical Reviewer
Castle Connolly Top Doctor, From NewYork-Presbyterian

Lee S. Cohen, MD, is an associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, maintains a clinical practice focused on expert and complex diagnostics, and is considered an international expert in clinical psychopharmacology. He is also the director of the Clinical Neuroscience Center, involved in innovative development and discovery of new compounds for neuropsychiatric conditions and directly consults with multiple pharmaceutical companies worldwide.

Dr. Cohen graduated from the Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program at the CUNY School of Medicine at The City College of New York, an accelerated six-year BS/MD program. He then completed his MD at SUNY Stony Brook School of Medicine.

He trained in pediatrics and adult psychiatry at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, followed by a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He served for 20 years as the director of psychiatry at the Clinical Neuroscience Center at Mount Sinai West Hospital.

He is a senior reviewer for multiple journals, including the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, the Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, and the International Journal of Autism and Related Disabilities.

Cohen teaches and presents research domestically and internationally at meetings such as those of the American Psychiatric Association and at major universities around the country.

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Elizabeth Millard

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Elizabeth Millard is a freelance writer based in northern Minnesota. She focuses on health, wellness, and fitness, and has written for Runner's World, Bicycling, Self, Women's Health, Men's Health, Prevention, Experience Life, and more. She is an American Council on Exercise–certified personal trainer and a Yoga Alliance-registered yoga teacher. She graduated from Harvard University with a bachelor's degree in English.
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