Health Encyclopedia

Photophobia

Definition

Photophobia is eye discomfort in bright light.

Alternative Names

Light sensitivity; Vision - light sensitive; Eyes - sensitive to light

Considerations

Photophobia is a fairly common symptom. For many people, photophobia is not due to any underlying disease. Severe photophobia may be associated with eye problems and cause severe eye pain even in relatively low light.

Common Causes

Excessive wearing of contact lenses, or wearing badly fitted contact lenses
Eye disease, injury, or infection (such as chalazion, episcleritis, glaucoma )
Burns to the eye
Common migraine headache
Meningitis
Acute iritis or uveitis (inflammation inside eye)
Corneal abrasion
Corneal ulcer
Drugs such as amphetamines, atropine, cocaine, cyclopentolate, idoxuridine, phenylephrine, scopolamine, trifluridine, tropicamide, and vidarabine
Eye testing in which the eyes have been dilated

Home Care

The discomfort of light sensitivity can be reduced by avoiding sunlight, closing the eyes, wearing dark glasses, or darkening the room. However, the cause for the light sensitivity should be determined, since proper treatment may cure the problem. Seek urgent medical attention if pain is moderate to severe in low-light conditions.

Call your health care provider if

Call your doctor if light sensitivity is severe. For example, if you need to wear sunglasses indoors.

Also call if the sensitivity occurs with headaches, red eye or blurred vision or does not go away in a day or two.

What to expect at your health care provider's office

The doctor will perform a physical examination, including an eye exam. You may be asked the following questions:

When did the light sensitivity begin?
Does it hurt all the time or just sometimes?
How bad is it?
Do you need to wear dark glasses or stay in dark rooms?
Did a doctor recently dilate your pupils?
Do you use contact lenses?
Have you used soaps, lotions, cosmetics, or other chemicals around your eyes?
Have you been around dust, wind, sun, pollens, or chemicals?
Does anything make the sensitivity better or worse?
Have you been injured?
What medicines do you take?
What other symptoms do you have?

Tell your doctor if you have any of these symptoms:

Pain in the eye
Headache
Nausea
Neck stiffness
Blurred vision
Sore or wound in eye
Redness
Itching
Swelling
Dizziness
Numbness or tingling elsewhere in the body
Changes in hearing

The following tests may be done:

Review Date:4/13/2009
Reviewed By:Paul B. Griggs, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) and this website do not claim the information on, or referred to by, this site is error free. This site may include links to websites of other government agencies or private groups. Our Agency and this website do not control such sites and are not responsible for their content. Reference to or links to any other group, product, service, or information does not mean our Agency or this website approves of that group, product, service, or information.

Additionally, while health information provided through this website may be a valuable resource for the public, it is not designed to offer medical advice. Talk with your doctor about medical care questions you may have.