Photophobia: Description
One can be afraid of almost anything, including light. However, photophobia as a classic anxiety disorder occurs only occasionally. Usually a physical illness triggers the sensitivity disorder of the eyes:
Photophobia or light shyness is one of the subjective visual disorders. The eyes of the affected person may burn or water, be red or dry. Often, light sensitivity is accompanied by dizziness, headaches, and migraines. Sharp pain and loss of vision are characteristic of serious cases.
Photophobia: causes and possible diseases
In light-sensitive eyes, this reflex is triggered even at low brightness. The exact mechanisms behind this are still largely unknown. However, researchers suspect that an overactive nerve transmits too many stimuli to the brain.
Photophobia caused by external stimuli
External stimuli that can trigger photophobia include:
- incorrect contact lens application
- UV rays, sunburn, blinding
- Injuries
- Care product exposure
- toxic membrane damage
Photophobia and eye disease
Various eye diseases may also be associated with photophobia, such as:
- dry eye with low tear film
- Glaucoma (incl. the congenital variant: early infantile glaucoma)
- Lens opacity (cataract)
- pupil dilation (mydriasis)
- congenital malformations: Slit formation of the iris, total color blindness (achromatopsia), lack of iris pigmentation (albinism), iris defect (aniridia)
Photophobia in other diseases
In the context of other diseases one can also get photosensitive eyes, for example in case of:
- Common cold
- Craniocerebral trauma (such as concussion)
- Brain hemorrhage
- Brain tumor
- Rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia (form of soft tissue rheumatism)
- psoriasis (psoriasis)
- meningitis (inflammation of the brain)
- Tuberculosis
- Measles
- Rabies
- Syphilis
- Epilepsy
Photophobia: when do you need to see a doctor?
However, if photophobia persists for a longer period of time and you feel severely restricted by it, you should ask your ophthalmologist for advice. It is possible that there is an eye disease behind it that needs to be treated by a specialist. You should take the symptoms seriously if you also experience eye pain and reduced visual acuity. Then a visit to the ophthalmologist is urgently required!
Photophobia: What does the doctor do?
First of all, the ophthalmologist will take your medical history: In a conversation with you, he will ask exactly about your complaints and any previous illnesses.
Then various eye examinations follow: The doctor examines the eye (including the cornea) with a slit lamp and checks your vision. If there is a certain suspicion of the possible cause of photophobia, further examinations can bring clarity.
Treatment of photophobia
If photophobia is actually due to an eye disease, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and/or antibacterial medications are used as needed. If dry eyes are the reason for photophobia, artificial tears can help (but should not become a permanent solution).
Sometimes medication alone is not enough to get the symptoms under control. Then a multimodal therapy may be necessary, which includes body, mind and soul.
Photophobia: What you can do yourself
Until the underlying disease is clear, darkened rooms or sunglasses can help with photophobia. However, reaching for sunglasses should not become a permanent solution. Otherwise, your eyes will get used to the dimmed light, which can worsen the problem.
