Up to one in five people worldwide could have a diagnosis of photophobia. This condition does not pose a serious health problem, but it is an annoying situation that, according to ophthalmology professionals, affects between 5 and 20% of the population.
As eye care professionals, we observe how many people suffer from this condition without even knowing what photophobia is, what its most common causes are, and how its incidence can be reduced in everyday life.
What is photophobia?
A simple way to define what is photophobia is to indicate that it is a high sensitivity to light. It is important to note that this is not a disease, but rather a symptom of other types of eye or nervous system disorders. In other cases, it is simply a physical condition that can cause discomfort or even severe eye pain.
People diagnosed with photophobia experience severe discomfort when exposed to bright spaces and very bright lights. This discomfort causes them to immediately close their eyes to protect themselves from this light attack.
Most common causes of light sensitivity
Photophobia can occur in anyone, regardless of their health, age or gender. It should be noted that it is a condition closely associated with people with light-coloured eyes and, especially, individuals with albinism.
In these cases, the iris has less pigmentation, which means that the eyeball filters much less of the light that passes through. As a result, the eye is much more sensitive to light.
If you are wondering what causes photophobia if you have never experienced it, you should know that, beyond these natural causes, certain diagnoses also often result in patients suffering from temporary or permanent photophobia.
- Trauma: trauma to the cornea is directly related to increased sensitivity to light. This is common in people who wear contact lenses.
- Neurological problems: migraines and headaches are common companions of photophobia. In fact, it is common for people to seek out dark spaces during pain attacks. Parkinson's disease also presents with photophobia.
- Eye diseases: diagnoses of uveitis, conjunctivitis or iritis are often associated with temporary episodes of photophobia. These diseases that cause photophobia are very common.
- Medication and drug use: the use of certain medications and, especially, certain drugs sometimes results in reduced resistance to high-brightness environments.
Symptoms that often accompany photophobia
Photophobia is often uncomfortable in itself, but the truth is that it is usually accompanied by other symptoms. These only serve to increase the discomfort of the person suffering from it.
The most common symptom is the need to close your eyes. This physical reaction prevents you from functioning normally, being outdoors or working at a computer screen. It also often leads to headaches.
Beyond this, in Dr. Nebro Ophthalmology Clinic We highlight another series of symptoms that you may experience along with your episode of photophobia:
- Continuous itching in the tear duct.
- Redness or inflammation.
- Excessive tearing.
- Blurred vision and stiffness in the cervical area.
- Nausea and the urge to vomit.
Is there a treatment for photophobia?
As it is not a disease, photophobia itself does not have a medical treatment that can be used on a regular basis.
As eye health specialists, we recommend finding out whether this condition is related to any of the above diagnoses. If so, the problem will usually disappear once the disease is treated.
In addition, we offer some recommendations to reduce the negative impact of photophobia.
- Try, as far as possible, to create dimly lit environments when you are at home. This will significantly reduce discomfort.
- For the same reason, do not expose yourself to television screens, phones, or computers.
- In outdoor spaces or areas with bright lighting, wear polarised sunglasses.
- If you regularly suffer from photophobia, you can opt for photochromic lenses, which automatically adapt to the light conditions in the environment.
With these simple tips, you will be able to live much more comfortably with photophobia, whether it affects you temporarily or on a regular basis.