Light Sensitivity
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Reviewed By:

Masashi Mimura, MD

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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  • Very sensitive to light

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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

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

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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