Photophobia
Definition
Photophobia is eye discomfort in bright light.
Alternative Names
Light sensitivity; Vision - light sensitive; Eyes - sensitive to lightConsiderations
Photophobia is a fairly common symptom. For many people, photophobia is not due to any underlying disease. Severe photophobia may be associated with eye problems and cause severe eye pain even in relatively low light.
Causes
- Excessive wearing of contact lenses, or wearing badly fitted contact lenses
- Eye disease, injury, or infection (such as chalazion, episcleritis, glaucoma )
- Burns to the eye
- Common migraine headache
- Meningitis
- Acute iritis or uveitis (inflammation inside eye)
- Corneal abrasion
- Corneal ulcer
- Drugs such as amphetamines, atropine, cocaine, cyclopentolate, idoxuridine, phenylephrine, scopolamine, trifluridine, tropicamide, and vidarabine
- Eye testing in which the eyes have been dilated
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