What are the signs and symptoms of photophobia?
If you have a sensitivity to light, you may:
* Squint or blink a lot.
* Put your hands up to shield your eyes from light.
* Prefer to stay inside on sunny days or prefer to go out after dusk.
* Prefer dim light to bright light.
Eye conditions associated with photophobia
* Dry eye is the most common condition associated with photophobia.
Some eye conditions related to light sensitivity include:
* Astigmatism. This is an eye condition that causes blurred vision because your eye is more curved than the usual shape.
* Conjunctivitis. This condition, also called pink eye, is common in children.
* Corneal disease, including corneal abrasion and pterygium.
Exotropia. This is a condition where your eyes are misaligned. Either one or both eyes turn outward.
* Optic neuritis. Another disease or unknown issue can cause this condition, which is irritation or inflammation of your optic nerve.
* Papilledema. In this condition, pressure in or around your brain causes the optic nerve that’s inside your eye (called the optic disc) to swell.
* Retinitis pigmentosa. This term refers to a group of diseases that cause your retina to break down. It’s usually inherited.
* Uveitis. A group of diseases that cause red eyes, eye pain and inflammation inside your eye rather than on the surface.
Photophobia may also be associated with eye surgeries, including
cataract surgery and LASIK surgery.
Neurologic conditions associated with photophobia
* Blepharospasm. This condition, related to the muscles of your eyelids, begins as eye twitching and may lead to being unable to open your eyes.
* Damage to your thalamus. This part of your brain is responsible for relaying sensory and movement-related information.
* Meningitis. An infection of the meninges, the protective lining around your brain and spinal cord.
* Migraine headaches. These are primary headaches that cause pain that generally get worse as a result of light, sound and movement.
* Progressive supranuclear palsy. A rare neurodegenerative disorder that causes many neurological issues, such as problems with walking, thinking and swallowing.
* Subarachnoid hemorrhage. This type of hemorrhage is a type of stroke that happens because of a ruptured aneurysm or because of head trauma.
* Traumatic brain injury (TBI). These types of injuries often happen in car accidents or falls. Your brain hits against your skull.
Other conditions or items associated with photophobia
* Allergies. Allergies are your body’s immune reaction to a normally harmless substance like pollen, molds, animal dander, latex, some foods and insect stings.
* Chronic fatigue syndrome. A type of fatigue that lasts six months or longer and may include muscle aches.
* Fibromyalgia. A long-term illness in which you have pain in your joints and muscles, along with fatigue.
* Mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression. These conditions affect the way you think, behave and feel.
Medications associated with photophobia
* Barbiturates. These drugs are sedatives.
* Benzodiazepines. These drugs are depressants to treat anxiety and stress.
* Chloroquine. This drug treats malaria.
* Haloperidol. This drug treats psychosis and other mental health conditions.
* Lithium. As a medicine, lithium is used to treat depression and bipolar disorder.
* Methylphenidate zoledronate. This drug is used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
* Tropicamide. This medication, along with others, is used to dilate pupils during eye exams.
