Photophobia

Last updated

Photophobia
Specialty Ophthalmology

Photophobia is a medical symptom of abnormal intolerance to visual perception of light. [1] As a medical symptom, photophobia is not a morbid fear or phobia, but an experience of discomfort or pain to the eyes due to light exposure or by presence of actual physical sensitivity of the eyes, [2] though the term is sometimes additionally applied to abnormal or irrational fear of light, such as heliophobia. [3] The term photophobia comes from Greek φῶς (phōs) 'light'andφόβος (phóbos) 'fear'. [4] [5]

Contents

Causes

Patients may develop photophobia as a result of several different medical conditions, related to the eye, the nervous system, genetic, or other causes.

Photophobia may manifest itself in an increased response to light starting at any step in the visual system, such as:

Common causes of photophobia include migraine headaches, TMJ, cataracts, Sjögren syndrome, mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), or severe ophthalmologic diseases such as uveitis or corneal abrasion. [6] A more extensive list follows:

Causes of photophobia relating directly to the eye itself include:

Neurological causes for photophobia include:

Other causes

Treatment

Treatment for light sensitivity addresses the underlying cause, whether it be an eye, nervous system or other cause. If the triggering factor or underlying cause can be identified and treated, photophobia may disappear. Tinted glasses are sometimes used. [33]

Artificial light

People with photophobia may feel eye pain from even moderate levels of artificial light and avert their eyes from artificial light sources. Ambient levels of artificial light may also be intolerable to persons afflicted with photophobia such that they dim or remove the light source, or go into a dimmer lit room, such a one lit by refraction of light from outside the room. Alternatively, they may wear dark sunglasses, sunglasses designed to filter peripheral light, precision tinted glasses, and/or wide-brimmed sun hats or baseball caps. Some types of photophobia may be helped with the use of precision tinted lenses which block the green-to-blue end of the light spectrum without blurring or impeding vision. [34] [35]

Other strategies for relieving photophobia include the use of tinted contact lenses and/or the use of prescription eye drops that constrict the pupil, thus reducing the amount of light entering the eye. Such strategies may be limited by the amount of light needed for proper vision under given conditions, however. Dilating drops may also help relieve eye pain from muscle spasms or seizures triggered by lighting/migraine, allowing a person to "ride out the migraine" in a dark or dim room. A paper by Stringham and Hammond, published in the Journal of Food Science , reviews studies of effects of consuming Lutein and Zeaxanthin on visual performance, and notes a decrease in sensitivity to glare. [36]

Disability

Photophobia may preclude or limit a person from working in places where lighting is used, unless the person is able to obtain a reasonable accommodation like being allowed to wear tinted glasses. Some people with photophobia may thereby be better able to work at night or be more easily accommodated in the workplace at night.

Outdoor night lighting may be equally offensive for persons with photophobia, however, given the wide variety of bright lighting used for illuminating residential, commercial and industrial areas, such as LED (light-emitting diode) lamps. [37] [38]

The increasing popularity of "overpoweringly intense" LED headlights being used on "pickups and S.U.V.s" has prompted more frequent reports of photophobia among motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. [39]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Migraine</span> Disorder resulting in recurrent moderate-severe headaches

Migraine is a genetically-influenced complex neurological disorder characterized by episodes of moderate-to-severe headache, most often unilateral and generally associated with nausea and light and sound sensitivity. Other characterizing symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, cognitive dysfunction, allodynia, and dizziness. Exacerbation of headache symptoms during physical activity is another distinguishing feature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Headache</span> Pain in the head, neck, or face

Headache, also known as cephalalgia, is the symptom of pain in the face, head, or neck. It can occur as a migraine, tension-type headache, or cluster headache. There is an increased risk of depression in those with severe headaches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keratoconus</span> Medical condition involving the eye

Keratoconus (KC) is a disorder of the eye that results in progressive thinning of the cornea. This may result in blurry vision, double vision, nearsightedness, irregular astigmatism, and light sensitivity leading to poor quality-of-life. Usually both eyes are affected. In more severe cases a scarring or a circle may be seen within the cornea.

Achromatopsia, also known as rod monochromacy, is a medical syndrome that exhibits symptoms relating to five conditions, most notably monochromacy. Historically, the name referred to monochromacy in general, but now typically refers only to an autosomal recessive congenital color vision condition. The term is also used to describe cerebral achromatopsia, though monochromacy is usually the only common symptom. The conditions include: monochromatic color blindness, poor visual acuity, and day-blindness. The syndrome is also present in an incomplete form that exhibits milder symptoms, including residual color vision. Achromatopsia is estimated to affect 1 in 30,000 live births worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cornea</span> Transparent front layer of the eye

The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber. Along with the anterior chamber and lens, the cornea refracts light, accounting for approximately two-thirds of the eye's total optical power. In humans, the refractive power of the cornea is approximately 43 dioptres. The cornea can be reshaped by surgical procedures such as LASIK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keratitis</span> Inflammation of the cornea of the eye

Keratitis is a condition in which the eye's cornea, the clear dome on the front surface of the eye, becomes inflamed. The condition is often marked by moderate to intense pain and usually involves any of the following symptoms: pain, impaired eyesight, photophobia, red eye and a 'gritty' sensation. Diagnosis of infectious keratitis is usually made clinically based on the signs and symptoms as well as eye examination, but corneal scrapings may be obtained and evaluated using microbiological culture or other testing to identify the causative pathogen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visual snow syndrome</span> Visual impairment

Visual snow syndrome (VSS) is an uncommon neurological condition in which the primary symptom is that affected individuals see persistent flickering white, black, transparent, or colored dots across the whole visual field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dry eye syndrome</span> Medical condition of dry eyes

Dry eye syndrome, also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca, is the condition of having dry eyes. Symptoms include dryness in the eye, irritation, redness, discharge, blurred vision, and easily fatigued eyes. Symptoms range from mild and occasional to severe and continuous. Dry eye syndrome can lead to blurred vision, instability of the tear film, increased risk of damage to the ocular surface such as scarring of the cornea, and changes in the eye including the neurosensory system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diplopia</span> Double vision

Diplopia is the simultaneous perception of two images of a single object that may be displaced horizontally or vertically in relation to each other. Also called double vision, it is a loss of visual focus under regular conditions, and is often voluntary. However, when occurring involuntarily, it results from impaired function of the extraocular muscles, where both eyes are still functional, but they cannot turn to target the desired object. Problems with these muscles may be due to mechanical problems, disorders of the neuromuscular junction, disorders of the cranial nerves that innervate the muscles, and occasionally disorders involving the supranuclear oculomotor pathways or ingestion of toxins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red eye (medicine)</span> Eye that appears red due to illness or injury

A red eye is an eye that appears red due to illness or injury. It is usually injection and prominence of the superficial blood vessels of the conjunctiva, which may be caused by disorders of these or adjacent structures. Conjunctivitis and subconjunctival hemorrhage are two of the less serious but more common causes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recurrent corneal erosion</span> Separation of the cellular layers of the cornea of the eye

Recurrent corneal erosion (RCE) is a disorder of the eyes characterized by the failure of the cornea's outermost layer of epithelial cells to attach to the underlying basement membrane. The condition is excruciatingly painful because the loss of these cells results in the exposure of sensitive corneal nerves. This condition can often leave patients with temporary blindness due to extreme light sensitivity (photophobia).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corneal abrasion</span> Scratch to the surface of the cornea of the eye

Corneal abrasion is a scratch to the surface of the cornea of the eye. Symptoms include pain, redness, light sensitivity, and a feeling like a foreign body is in the eye. Most people recover completely within three days.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aura (symptom)</span> Symptom of epilepsy and migraine

An aura is a perceptual disturbance experienced by some with epilepsy or migraine. An epileptic aura is actually a minor seizure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adie syndrome</span> Neurological disorder

Adie syndrome, also known as Holmes–Adie syndrome, is a neurological disorder characterized by a tonically dilated pupil that reacts slowly to light but shows a more definite response to accommodation. It is frequently seen in females with absent knee or ankle jerks and impaired sweating.

Polycoria is a pathological condition of the eye characterized by more than one pupillary opening in the iris. It may be congenital or result from a disease affecting the iris. It results in decreased function of the iris and pupil, affecting the physical eye and visualization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corneal ulcer</span> Inflammation of the cornea of the eye due to trauma or infection

Corneal ulcer, also called keratitis, is an inflammatory or, more seriously, infective condition of the cornea involving disruption of its epithelial layer with involvement of the corneal stroma. It is a common condition in humans particularly in the tropics and in farming. In developing countries, children afflicted by vitamin A deficiency are at high risk for corneal ulcer and may become blind in both eyes persisting throughout life. In ophthalmology, a corneal ulcer usually refers to having an infection, while the term corneal abrasion refers more to a scratch injury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macular corneal dystrophy</span> Medical condition

Macular corneal dystrophy, also known as Fehr corneal dystrophy, is a rare pathological condition affecting the stroma of cornea first described by Arthur Groenouw in 1890. Signs are usually noticed in the first decade of life and progress afterwards, with opacities developing in the cornea and attacks of pain. This gradual opacification leads to visual impairment often requiring keratoplasty in the later decades of life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Granular corneal dystrophy</span> Formation of opaque spots on the transparent cornea of the eye

Granular corneal dystrophy is a slowly progressive corneal dystrophy that most often begins in early childhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Primary juvenile glaucoma</span> Medical condition

Primary juvenile glaucoma is a subtype of primary congenital glaucoma that develops due to ocular hypertension and is diagnosed between three years of age and early adulthood. It is caused due to abnormalities in the anterior chamber angle development that obstruct aqueous outflow in the absence of systemic anomalies or other ocular malformation.

Ocular neuropathic pain, also called corneal neuralgia, is a spectrum of disorders of ocular pain which are caused by damage or disease affecting the nerves. Ocular neuropathic pain is frequently associated with damaged or dysfunctional corneal nerves, but the condition can also be caused by peripheral or centralized sensitization. The condition shares some characteristics with somatic neuropathic pain in that it is similarly associated with abnormal sensations (dysesthesia) or pain from normally non-painful stimuli (allodynia), but until recent years has been poorly understood by the medical community, and frequently dismissed by ophthalmologists who were not trained to identify neuropathic pain as a source of unexplained eye pain beyond objective findings noted on slit-lamp examination.

References

  1. ↑ thefreedictionary.com/photophobia citing:
  2. ↑ thefreedictionary.com/photophobia citing:
    • Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Copyright 2008
    • Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 8th edition. 2009
    • McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine. 2002
  3. ↑ thefreedictionary.com/photophobia citing:
    • The American Heritage Medical Dictionary Copyright 2007
    • Millodot: Dictionary of Optometry and Visual Science, 7th edition. 2009
  4. ↑ φῶς, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
  5. ↑ φόβος, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
  6. ↑ Hazin R, Abuzetun JY, Daoud YJ, Abu-Khalaf MM (July 2009). "Ocular complications of cancer therapy: a primer for the ophthalmologist treating cancer patients". Current Opinion in Ophthalmology. 20 (4): 308–317. doi:10.1097/ICU.0b013e32832c9007. PMID   19491683. S2CID   205670593.
  7. ↑ "Achromotopsoa". Scottish Sensory Centre. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Day, Susan (January 15, 1997). "P9: Photophobia". In Taylor, David (ed.). Paediatric Ophthalmology (2nd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 1034–1036. ISBN   978-0-86542-831-7.
  9. 1 2 "Photophobia". Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Archived from the original on September 29, 2009. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  10. ↑ "Blepharitis". The Lecturio Medical Concept Library. September 28, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Conjunctivitis". Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy . Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  12. ↑ "Corneal ulcer". Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy . Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  13. ↑ Fraunfelder, F. T.; Fraunfelder, F. W.; Edwards, R. (September 1, 2001). "Ocular side effects possibly associated with isotretinoin usage". American Journal of Ophthalmology. 132 (3): 299–305. doi:10.1016/s0002-9394(01)01024-8. ISSN   0002-9394. PMID   11530040. S2CID   37897437.
  14. ↑ Fan X, Miles JH, Takahashi N, Yao G (November 2009). "Abnormal transient pupillary light reflex in individuals with autism spectrum disorders". Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 39 (11): 1499–1508. doi:10.1007/s10803-009-0767-7. PMID   19499319. S2CID   32110116.
  15. ↑ "Light sensitivity – photophobia". Royal National Institute of Blind People . Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  16. ↑ "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome". University of Virginia Health System . Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  17. ↑ Romero-Reyes, Marcela; Uyanik, James M. (February 21, 2014). "Orofacial pain management: current perspectives". Journal of Pain Research. 7: 99–115. doi: 10.2147/JPR.S37593 . PMC   3937250 . PMID   24591846.
  18. ↑ Cooper AD, Josephs, KA (2009). "Photophobia, visual hallucinations, and REM sleep behavior disorder in progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration: a prospective study". Parkinsonism & Related Disorders. 15 (1): 59–61. doi:10.1016/j.parkreldis.2008.01.011. PMID   18328771.
  19. ↑ "Photophobia – Glossary Entry". Genetics Home Reference. United States National Library of Medicine . Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  20. ↑ "Ankylosing spondylitis". United States National Library of Medicine . Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  21. ↑ "Albinism". MedicinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. United States National Library of Medicine . Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  22. ↑ Harris, Robert S.; Thimann, Kenneth V. (February 11, 1943). Vitamins & Hormones. Vol. 1. Academic Press. p. 88. ISBN   978-0-12-709801-2.
  23. ↑ Wakakura M, Tsubouchi T, Inouye J (March 2004). "Etizolam and benzodiazepine induced blepharospasm". Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry. 75 (3): 506–507. doi:10.1136/jnnp.2003.019869. PMC   1738986 . PMID   14966178.
  24. ↑ Pelissolo A, Bisserbe JC (March–April 1994). "Dépendance aux benzodiazépines. Aspects cliniques et biologiques" [Dependence on benzodiazepines. Clinical and biological aspects]. Encephale (in French). 20 (2): 147–157. PMID   7914165.
  25. ↑ Mahesh, G.; Giridhar, A.; Shedbele, A.; Kumar, R.; Saikumar, S. J. (2009). "A case of bilateral presumed chikungunya neuroretinitis". Indian Journal of Ophthalmology. 57 (2): 148–150. doi: 10.4103/0301-4738.45508 . PMC   2684432 . PMID   19237792.
  26. ↑ Gauthier-Smith, P. C. (December 22, 2004). "Neurological complications of glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis)". Brain . 88 (2). Oxford University Press: 323–334. doi:10.1093/brain/88.2.323. PMID   5828906.
  27. ↑ Hunt, Margaret. "Influenza Virus (Orthomyxovirus)". University of South Carolina School of Medicine. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  28. ↑ Durlach, Jean; Morii, Hirotoshi; Nishizawa, Yoshiki (March 6, 2007). "10: Clinical forms of Magnesium Depletion by Photosensitization and Treatment with Scototherapy". New Perspectives in Magnesium Research. Springer London. pp. 117–126. doi:10.1007/978-1-84628-483-0_10. ISBN   978-1-84628-388-8.
  29. ↑ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (June 1990). "Elemental mercury poisoning in a household—Ohio, 1989". MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 39 (25): 424–5. PMID   2113168.
  30. ↑ Drummond PD (October 1986). "A quantitative assessment of photophobia in migraine and tension headache". Headache. 26 (9): 465–469. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4610.1986.hed2609465.x. PMID   3781834. S2CID   10230356.
  31. ↑ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (October 28, 1994). "Human Rabies – Miami, 1994". Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report . 43 (42). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 773–5. PMID   7935313.
  32. ↑ SCDS Society
  33. ↑ Bailey, Gretchyn. "Photophobia (Light Sensitivity)". All About Vision. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
  34. ↑ Blackburn Marcus K.; et al. (2009). "FL-41 tint improves blink frequency, light sensitivity, and functional limitations in patients with benign essential blepharospasm". Ophthalmology. 116 (5): 997–1001. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2008.12.031. PMC   2701948 . PMID   19410958.
  35. ↑ Katz, Bradley J.; Digre, Kathleen B. (2016). "Diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment of photophobia". Survey of Ophthalmology. 61 (4): 466–477. doi:10.1016/j.survophthal.2016.02.001. PMID   26875996.
  36. ↑ Stringham JM, Bovier ER, Wong JC, Hammond BR (2010). "The influence of dietary lutein and zeaxanthin on visual performance". Journal of Food Science. 75 (1): R24–9. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2009.01447.x . PMID   20492192.
  37. ↑ Guide to Photophobia/Light Sensitivity, axonoptics.com. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
  38. ↑ Lightmare, lightmare.org. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
  39. ↑ "Blinded by Brighter Headlights? It's Not Your Imagination.", The New York Times , June 5, 2021. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.