Light Sensitivity
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Reviewed By:
Ami Shah Vira, MD (Ophthalmology)
Dr. Shah Vira grew up in Arizona. She moved to Chicago to complete a combined engineering and medical program at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and Chicago Medical School. She completed a highly competitive two year dual fellowship in Neuro-ophthalmology and Oculoplastic at the highly regarded Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Shah Vira specializes in surgical correction of the eyelids and eyebrows, eyelid malposition and tumors, excessive tearing, and conditions involving the orbit.
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.
Content updated on Jan 4, 2023
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Try one of these related symptoms.
Sensitive to light
Bright lights cause pain
Intolerance of light
Over-sensitivity to light
Aversion to light
How Ubie Can Help You
With a free 3-min Light Sensitivity quiz, powered by Ubie's AI and doctors, find possible causes of your symptoms.
This questionnaire is customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:
Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.
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- Very sensitive to light
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Try Free Symptom QuizAbout the Symptom
Photophobia is increased sensitivity and aversion to light. It causes eye discomfort in bright light. Light sensitivity is most commonly a symptom of an underlying disorder. Most commonly this can be due to migraines or dry eyes.
When to See a Doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
- Eyes are sensitive to bright light
Possible Causes
Generally, Light sensitivity can be related to:
Retinitis pigmentosa
An inherited degenerative disease affecting the retina, the nerve layer lining the back of the eye. It causes loss of night and side vision.
- 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.
- Sarcoidosis (Including Erythema Nodosum-Like Eruption)
A disease where small lumps (called granulomas) form in the skin, lungs, eyes, and other organs. Since various organs are affected, there is a wide range of possible symptoms. The exact causes are not well understood.
- Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease
Uveitis
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Related Serious Diseases
Sometimes, Light sensitivity may be related to these serious diseases:
- Meningitis
Meningitis is an inflammation of the fluid and membrane (meninges) surrounding the brain and spinal cord usually caused by bacterial or viral infections, brain injuries, cancer, and certain drugs. It is a medical emergency that can lead to permanent brain and nerve damage.
- Aseptic Meningitis
- Cerebral Infarction
- Measles
Doctor's Diagnostic Questions
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
- Do your eyes hurt when looking at bright lights?
- How long have you had eye pain or discomfort when looking at a bright light?
- Have you experienced eye pain with bright light before?
- How has the pain or discomfort in your eye(s) when looking at a bright light changed since it started?
- Do you experience discomfort from lighting indoors or outdoors?
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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.aspxAlbilali 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/s11910-018-0864-0Noseda 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/10.1177/0333102418784750Diel 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/105/6/751Rossi 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:
Ami Shah Vira, MD (Ophthalmology)
Dr. Shah Vira grew up in Arizona. She moved to Chicago to complete a combined engineering and medical program at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and Chicago Medical School. She completed a highly competitive two year dual fellowship in Neuro-ophthalmology and Oculoplastic at the highly regarded Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Shah Vira specializes in surgical correction of the eyelids and eyebrows, eyelid malposition and tumors, excessive tearing, and conditions involving the orbit.
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.
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