LIGHT SENSITIVITY - Golden Eye Optometry

Light sensitivity is also called photophobia. It is a common experience with many underlying causes.

The broad term covers many kinds of discomfort in bright light, ranging from trouble adjusting to brighter light to pain in the eyes.

People who have light-colored eyes may be more prone to light sensitivity than those with dark eyes. If you develop light sensitivity when you did not have it before, you could have an underlying problem ranging from injury or infection in the eye to a stroke or cancer.

Treating light sensitivity requires a medical diagnosis, and you may need eye drops or prescription medication to manage the condition. You can also be careful of how you interact with lights. You can wear colored glasses or UV-protecting sunglasses.

What Is Light Sensitivity?

Light sensitivity, also called photophobia, is a term that covers any sort of eye discomfort in bright light. This can range from having difficulty adjusting to brighter lights after being in a darker room to experiencing pain in the eyes or head from lights that are too bright.

While light sensitivity can be disruptive, it is a common condition, and it is often a symptom of other problems. If you develop photophobia, especially if you develop the condition rapidly, get help from your optometrist or ophthalmologist, as you may have an underlying eye disorder.

What Causes Light Sensitivity? Is It Serious?

People who have light-colored eyes are at a slightly higher risk of experiencing light sensitivity than people with darker eyes, especially dark brown eyes. This is because the melatonin in eye color can protect against some ultraviolet (UV) light and reduce how impactful bright light can be on the retina. If you have light-colored eyes, you may experience more discomfort when transitioning from a dim or indoor space to a bright or outdoor space for no specific medical reason.

There are several potential underlying eye conditions that can cause photophobia:

Acute iritis or uveitis, which is inflammation inside the eye
Albinism, or lack of pigment in the eye and skin
Burns to the eye, including photokeratitis (sunburned eyes)
Other types of keratitis, including herpes or fungal keratitis
Corneal abrasion, or damage to the cornea
Corneal ulcers
Detached retina, which is a medical emergency
Drugs, including prescription and addictive drugs ranging from atropine to cocaine to vidarabine
Dry eye syndrome, in which the tear ducts do not make enough, or high enough quality, tears to keep the eyes moist
Encephalitis, or swelling in the brain
Wearing contact lenses that do not fit well or wearing them too long
Keratoconus, or the cornea growing into a cone-like shape
Hyphema, or blood collecting in the front of the eye
Strabismus, or the muscles in one eye being weaker than the other and the eye turning in a different direction as a result
Diseases, infections, or injuries to the eye, including conjunctivitis, chalazion, and glaucoma
Other illnesses, including botulism, rabies, and mercury poisoning
Meningitis, or damage to the spinal cord from a viral, bacterial, fungal, or other infection
Migraines, including chronic migraines
Total color deficiency, or being unable to see any colors
Pupil dilation for eye testing
Scleritis, or inflammation in the white part of the eye, typically affecting people between 30 and 50 years old, which is associated with autoimmune conditions like lupus
Subarachnoid hemorrhage, or bleeding between the layers of tissue surrounding the brain

Diseases and damage to the eye must be immediately reported to a medical professional for treatment. Bleeding in the eye and/or brain, burns, corneal abrasions, encephalitis, and meningitis are all very harmful, and some of these conditions can be deadly.

If you have any of the following symptoms alongside light sensitivity, it may be a medical condition that needs immediate treatment:

Pain the eye
Dizziness
Nausea or vomiting
Headaches or neck aches
Blurry vision
Soreness in the eye unrelated to bright lights
Wounds or spots in the eye
Redness, itching, and swelling
Numbness or tingling in the body
Changes to your hearing

How Is Light Sensitivity Treated?

To determine the cause of your light sensitivity, your eye doctor will examine your eye, including the back of your eye, to determine if there is anything in the organ itself that may be changing or damaged, which could cause the problem. They will also ask you about the frequency and severity of your light sensitivity.

Treatment approaches will depend on what is causing your photophobia, but your treatment plan may include:

Medications to manage migraine pain or discomfort.
Eye drops that reduce inflammation.
Eye drops that reduce eye pressure from glaucoma.
Antibiotics for conjunctivitis, corneal abrasions, or bacterial meningitis.
Artificial tears for dry eyes.
Anti-inflammatory medications, bed rest, and fluids for mild encephalitis.
Surgery for tumors, aneurysms, or strokes.

If you have moments of light sensitivity — after going to the optometrist and having your pupils dilated, while struggling with a migraine one day, or because of an underlying condition like glaucoma — there are some steps you can take yourself to manage this experience.

Avoid sunlight. Wear a hat and ultraviolet-protecting sunglasses, or carry a parasol when going outdoors.
Close your eyes until the discomfort passes, and avoid looking near the sky or bright lights indoors.
Dim the lights when you are indoors. Consider getting dimmer switches for rooms if you frequently experience light sensitivity.
Get photochromatic glasses to reduce how certain colors in the light spectrum affect your eyes.
Practice good hygiene, especially if you wear contact lenses, to prevent eye infections. Avoid people who may have communicable diseases like pink eye or meningitis, and get vaccines for viral conditions, like some causes of encephalitis
Continue any treatment for underlying medical conditions, and tell your eye doctor if symptoms, including photophobia, get worse.

Protecting Yourself

Understand that light sensitivity is a symptom of a condition, especially if you were not light sensitive before and have just started to experience it. Reporting this to your optometrist or ophthalmologist can lead to diagnosis and treating a condition that may otherwise lead to vision loss.

Many people may not associate light sensitivity with an eye disease or another kind of disease. It is important to get regular eye exams to have your whole eye’s health evaluated.

References

Photophobia. (May 10, 2017). MedlinePlus.
What Causes Photophobia? (October 6, 2015). Healthline.
Light Sensitivity. (December 8, 2015). American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO).
Can Your Eyes Get Sunburned? (February 15, 2019). Healthline.
Photophobia (Light Sensitivity). (January 2018). All About Vision.