Light Sensitivity
Free Symptom Checker
with Physician-supervised AI
Reviewed By:
Masashi Mimura, MD (Ophthalmology)
Dr. Mimura Graduated from the Osaka Medical College and obtained his ophthalmologist certification in 2007. He opened an outpatient clinic for oculoplastic and reconstructive surgery at Osaka Kaijo Hospital. Subsequently, he was appointed as the assistant professor at the Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka Medical College, in 2014. He then served an international fellowship at the Department of Ophthalmology/Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgery, California State University, San Diego. Since then, he has been appointed as Lecturer in the Departments of Ophthalmology at Osaka Medical College and Toho University Medical Center Sakura Hospital. Dr. Mimura is currently the Director of Oculofacial Clinic Osaka, where he specializes in Oculofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Please choose the symptom you are most concerned about.
It will help us optimize further questions for you.
By starting the symptom checker, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Find another symptom
How Ubie can help you
With an easy 3-min questionnaire, Ubie's AI-powered system will generate a free report on possible causes.
Trained and reviewed by 50+ doctors, our AI Symptom Checker utilizes data from 1,500+ medical centers
Questions are customized to your situation and symptoms
Your symptoms
Our AI
Your report
Your personal report will tell you
✔︎  When to see a doctor
✔︎  What causes your symptoms
✔︎  Treatment information etc.
People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
Very sensitive to light
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Learn More
Content updated on Jan 4, 2023
About the symptom
Photophobia is a heightened sensitivity and dislike for light. It causes discomfort in the eyes in bright light.
When to see a doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
Eyes are sensitive to bright light
Possible causes
- Migraine
A type of headache that typically presents as throbbing, pulsating pain on one side of the head, sometimes with associated nausea or sensitivity to light and sound. Sometimes, sensory disturbances, such as vision changes (seeing flashing lights or zigzag lines), can occur before the headache. The pain may worsen on exposure to bright lights or loud noise. Triggers for migraine include stress, poor sleep, caffeine, and hormonal changes in women.
- Fibromyalgia
A condition causing widespread pain and muscle aches throughout the body. The cause is not well understood.
Uveitis
A type of eye inflammation that impacts the middle layer of tissue in the eye wall (uvea). Uveitis can be caused by infection, injury, or an autoimmune or inflammatory disease. It can be serious and lead to permanent vision loss, so early diagnosis and treatment are crucial.
Retinitis pigmentosa
- Cryptococcosis
- Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease
- Cluster headache
Related serious diseases
- Cerebral infarction
Cerebral infarction refers to damage to brain tissue resulting from a stroke. It occurs due to decreased blood supply and oxygen delivery to the brain, causing brain cell death and brain damage. It is typically caused by a blood clot or fatty/cholesterol plaques blocking a blood vessel to the brain, but can also occur if a blood vessel ruptures and bleeds into the brain.
- Cerebral hemorrhage
- Brain tumor
Questions your doctor may ask about this symptom
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom
Do you experience pain or discomfort in your eyes when looking at bright lights?
Do you have a fever?
Do you have a sore throat?
Are you feeling dizzy right now?
Do you feel any numbness or change in sensation?
Other Related Symptoms
Symptoms from similar body parts
Symptoms treated by the same specialty
References
Burstein R, Noseda R, Fulton AB. Neurobiology of Photophobia. J Neuroophthalmol. 2019 Mar;39(1):94-102. doi: 10.1097/WNO.0000000000000766. PMID: 30762717; PMCID: PMC6383812.
https://journals.lww.com/jneuro-ophthalmology/Fulltext/2019/03000/Neurobiology_of_Photophobia.16.aspx
Albilali A, Dilli E. Photophobia: When Light Hurts, a Review. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2018 Jul 30;18(9):62. doi: 10.1007/s11910-018-0864-0. PMID: 30058044.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11910-018-0864-0
Noseda R, Copenhagen D, Burstein R. Current understanding of photophobia, visual networks and headaches. Cephalalgia. 2019 Nov;39(13):1623-1634. doi: 10.1177/0333102418784750. Epub 2018 Jun 25. PMID: 29940781; PMCID: PMC6461529.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0333102418784750
Diel RJ, Mehra D, Kardon R, Buse DC, Moulton E, Galor A. Photophobia: shared pathophysiology underlying dry eye disease, migraine and traumatic brain injury leading to central neuroplasticity of the trigeminothalamic pathway. Br J Ophthalmol. 2021 Jun;105(6):751-760. doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2020-316417. Epub 2020 Jul 23. PMID: 32703784; PMCID: PMC8022288.
https://bjo.bmj.com/content/105/6/751
Rossi HL, Recober A. Photophobia in primary headaches. Headache. 2015 Apr;55(4):600-4. doi: 10.1111/head.12532. Epub 2015 Mar 19. PMID: 25790126; PMCID: PMC4459705.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/head.12532
Reviewed By:
Masashi Mimura, MD (Ophthalmology)
Dr. Mimura Graduated from the Osaka Medical College and obtained his ophthalmologist certification in 2007. He opened an outpatient clinic for oculoplastic and reconstructive surgery at Osaka Kaijo Hospital. Subsequently, he was appointed as the assistant professor at the Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka Medical College, in 2014. He then served an international fellowship at the Department of Ophthalmology/Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgery, California State University, San Diego. Since then, he has been appointed as Lecturer in the Departments of Ophthalmology at Osaka Medical College and Toho University Medical Center Sakura Hospital. Dr. Mimura is currently the Director of Oculofacial Clinic Osaka, where he specializes in Oculofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
User testimonials
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Ubie is supervised by 50+ medical experts worldwide
Dale Mueller, MD
Cardiothoracic Surgery, Vascular surgery
Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Associates
