Have you ever found yourself experiencing eye pain in harsh sunlight? Did your eyes shut by themselves to block out the brightness? Or perhaps you’ve suffered from a headache so terrible that you needed to sit in a dark room to keep light from making it worse. If you have, you may have been experiencing photophobia.
Photophobia is eye sensitivity to light. (Though the word includes “phobia,” photophobia doesn’t mean “fear of light.”) Photophobia can be mild or severe, ranging from slight discomfort to extreme pain. You can have photophobia just about anywhere—in sunlight or indoors. Usually, it occurs as a response to bright light, but sometimes, photophobia can even occur in low light.
Also called light sensitivity, photophobia is common, especially among people who get migraine attacks. In rare cases, it can indicate a serious health issue.
In this article, we’ll shed some light on what causes photophobia. We’ll go over the main photophobia symptoms and what to do if you’re experiencing light sensitivity, including when to see an eye doctor.
Photophobia Causes: Why Are My Eyes Sensitive to Light?
People can become light-sensitive for a lot of reasons. Let’s discuss some of the more common causes of photophobia.
Milder Light Sensitivity Causes
Depending on the person and the situation, photophobia can occur as a result of ordinary circumstances or even personal characteristics. These causes of photophobia tend to be more benign (though still uncomfortable):
More Serious Causes of Light Sensitivity
Sometimes, photophobia can indicate a more significant underlying cause that might require immediate attention. These causes of photophobia may include:
Photophobia Symptoms
Since photophobia is typically a sign of another underlying condition, photophobia symptoms often occur along with other symptoms related to that condition. These symptoms can be relatively slight, or they can be more debilitating.
Be aware that some photophobia symptoms could be possible signs of an urgent health problem. To be safe, even if your symptoms are mild, especially if they don’t go away within a day or two, it’s best to get checked by an optometrist or ophthalmologist.
Milder photophobia symptoms may include:
- Eyes squinting or reflexively shutting (blepharospasm)
- Mild eye pain
- Red or itchy eyes
- Watery eyes
If you experience any of the following more severe light sensitivity symptoms, see an eye doctor right away. They could indicate an emergency medical condition.
- Blurred vision or seeing spots
- Body tingling or numbness
- Extreme pain
- Headache or dizziness
- Hearing changes or sensitivity to sound
- Nausea
- Severe light sensitivity, such as needing to wear sunglasses indoors
- Stiff neck
- Swollen eyes
Photophobia Treatment
The treatment for photophobia generally revolves around the cause and severity. Your doctor might suggest you take actions at home focused on easing the symptoms. Or they may prescribe a treatment or medication to treat the cause. Possible photophobia treatments could include:
- Artificial tears or other lubricating eye drops for dry eyes
- Blue light-filtering lenses
- Eye surgery, such as cataract surgery
- Medication to treat an underlying illness, such as migraine medication
- Minimizing light exposure, especially fluorescent lighting and bright sunlight
- Resting with your eyes shut
- Therapeutic tinted contact lenses or eyeglasses to tone down bright environments
- Wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses or trying light-responsive lenses
Need Photophobia Treatment? Don’t Be Afraid of the Eye Doctor
Proper eye care is an essential component of your overall health care. If you experience photophobia that doesn’t go away after a couple of days, is severe, or is accompanied by any of the other symptoms we discussed above, the best course of action is to make an eye appointment. Your doctor can check for underlying conditions and recommend the best treatment.
