Symptoms and treatment of increased photosensitivity of the eyes. Increased eye sensitivity to light: possible causes and treatments Very sensitive eyes to light what to do

Light sensitivity is manifested by discomfort in the eyes. This condition is usually felt due to daylight or artificial lighting. With the advent of twilight, such discomfort in the eyes usually disappears.

What is this state?

The human eye is designed in such a way that in order to catch light, it needs to distinguish two colors at once. If a person has impaired color perception, then the lighting causes discomfort to the eyes.. Sunlight is the optimal light that the human eye is used to adjusting to.

In sunlight, it has two properties for assessing the environment - quantity and quality. The characteristic of quantity indicates the degree of brightness of the sensation, and the characteristic of quality indicates the color sensation of the eyes itself. This perception always depends on two factors - the wavelength of light and the composition of the spectrum.

With changes in the proportions of one or two analyzers in the eyes, the photosensitivity increases. If one of the spectra is amplified, then the person experiences pain in the eye.

To diagnose the degree of excess photosensitivity of the eyes in a person, a certain test is carried out. For this, the patient himself is placed in a completely dark room. Under such conditions, it is possible to determine how strongly such a sharp light transition affects the patient's eye. Normally, the threshold of susceptibility in a healthy organ of vision is several tens of photons per second. This speed of the light flux is directed to the human eye in complete darkness. The upper limit of the flux in this case is more than one thousand photons per second. Normally, the eyes of a teenager and a young person should adapt to the dark for no more than one minute. Older adults may have longer adaptation times.

Causes of discomfort

A short discomfort caused by a sharp change in lighting is absolutely normal and, in the absence of pathologies, a few seconds pass. In some cases, adaptation can take up to two minutes, which is also considered the norm.

If a person has a cold or any infection, especially if this disease is accompanied by fever, then the time of adaptation to light will be increased. Under such conditions, the person will also notice that simple sunlight is very irritating to the eyes.

If a person constantly uses sunglasses, practically without taking them off for a long time, then the sensitivity of the eyes to light will be increased even indoors. This is due to the fact that wearing sunglasses for a long time allows the eyes to adapt to a comfortable constantly dimmed light, and after removing the glasses, even indoors, the eyes will adapt for a long time.

There are also a number of other factors that can increase the sensitivity of the eyes to light:

this effect can be given by taking certain medications;
age-related changes in the organ of vision can give increased photosensitivity;
certain unfavorable working conditions that adversely affect the eyes;
tobacco and alcohol use;
long sitting in front of a computer or TV screen;
transferred burns of the cornea of the eye;
when wearing incorrectly selected ones, an unpleasant sensation may occur, including a reaction to light. It can also occur with improper storage and use of expired lenses;

heredity plays a big role in the occurrence of various pathologies of the eye;
various eye diseases.

In the table below, we consider eye diseases whose symptom is photosensitivity.

Disease	Description
Conjunctivitis	Inflammatory disease of the outer mucous membrane of the eye - the conjunctiva. It happens acute and chronic. It is characterized by redness of the eye, swelling of the eyelids, tearing, burning.
Glaucoma	Chronic disease characterized by increased intraocular pressure. If such a pathology is not cured, then the optic nerve will be damaged, which over time can lead to blindness. It is a fairly common disease.
Keratitis	Inflammation of the cornea of the eye, which manifests itself in the form of clouding, ulceration, redness and pain. There are several types of such pathology. In the absence of therapy, a thorn and a significant deterioration in vision may appear.
Iridocyclitis	Inflammatory disease affecting the iris (iris) and ciliary body of the eye. If the disease develops, over time, swelling, redness and pain in the eye, a change in the color of the iris, photophobia, and lacrimation occur.
Retinal detachment	Pathology is the separation of the retina from the vascular. In this case, the retina ceases to receive proper nutrition, which often leads to irreversible consequences. Harbingers of detachment are photopsias, the appearance of "flies" before the eyes, but when the retina is completely detached, the patient sees only a black "veil" in front of the eye. If this disease is not cured in time, the person will go blind.
	This pathology is associated with severe destruction of the corneal tissue. An ulcer is the name given to the condition when the damage extends deeper than the anterior limiting membrane of the cornea. Accompanied by profuse lacrimation, severe pain, photophobia, redness.

It must be remembered that if there is a constant discomfort in the eyes or a deterioration in vision itself, it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor to identify possible pathologies. Many eye diseases can only be stopped at an early stage of development.

Many people notice that short-term attacks occur on sunny winter days. This phenomenon called "snow ophthalmia" is the norm. It arises from the fact that the sunlight reflected in the snow covers greatly irritates the organ of vision. The longer we watch the snow cover on a clear day, the longer our vision will recover, but this phenomenon is absolutely not dangerous. In winter, a person usually increases the time to adapt to bright light, which is also normal.

In winter, the time for adaptation to light is longer - this is normal.

There are times when adaptation does not occur even within a few hours. At the same time, a person may experience the occurrence of lacrimation, pain in the eyes even in dim light, pain, a person may involuntarily close his eyes. When exposed to bright light, a person may experience a headache. This indicates the development of any disease of the organ of vision. If these symptoms occur, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Symptoms

The presence of increased photosensitivity in a person is manifested by certain symptoms:

the appearance of a moderate headache;
pupils are in an expanded state;
redness of the conjunctiva and sometimes the eyeball;
the outlines of objects that a person looks at become blurry, unclear;
it becomes difficult for a person to focus his eyes;
the patient feels a burning sensation, as if "sand was poured into the eyes."

Each symptom of hypersensitivity has its own explanation. When observing these symptoms in oneself, a knowledgeable person can immediately assume a diagnosis.

Lachrymation can be observed not only with increased photosensitivity. It also appears with any eye injury or when a foreign body or an irritating substance, such as soap, enters the eye. In this case, additional symptoms will be observed, such as the appearance before the eyes, which interferes with focusing the gaze, pain at the site of the lesion, while the pupil will involuntarily narrow.

Lachrymation can also manifest itself with various damage to the cornea of the eye. The cause can be allergies and inflammation, as well as mechanical damage, burns and the occurrence of corneal erosion.

In this case, in addition to lacrimation, the patient will also experience pus in the eyes, increased pain in the affected eye, and a decrease in the focus of vision. Also, often with such a pathology, a person cannot open his eyes. All attempts are accompanied by involuntary closure of the affected organ. Redness of the skin around the eye and conjunctiva is also noticeable.

Photophobia in children

The main reason why high photosensitivity of the eyes is observed in childhood is congenital absence of melanin pigment in a child in the iris of the eye.

There are also a number of other pathologies in which photophobia occurs in children. Conjunctivitis is a very common disease in childhood. This disease has a different etiology. Conjunctivitis can be allergic, viral and bacterial. This disease is manifested by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye. In the presence of such an ailment, one of its main manifestations is increased photosensitivity, as well as an involuntary strong flow of tears.

Increased photosensitivity in children can be a symptom of a disease such as motor nerve palsy. This pathology is manifested by incomplete opening of the upper eyelid of the eye. Also, with this disease, the pupil of the eye does not have the ability to expand and contract, reacting to light. Such a disease has many causes, but in any case it is accompanied by severe photophobia.

There is another childhood rather rare disease, which is called acrodynia. With this pathology, the skin of the upper and lower extremities always has a pinkish tint. When touched, it feels sticky. This disease is characterized by persistently elevated blood pressure and heavy sweating. It also has such a symptom as high photosensitivity of the eyes.

If a child has symptoms of photosensitivity, it is forbidden to independently use any medicines, as well as traditional medicine recipes. Such self-treatment can give serious complications up to the complete loss of vision in a child. If any symptoms occur, you should immediately show the child to the pediatrician.

Prevention of hypersensitivity

There are a number of special requirements that must be met to prevent the occurrence of increased photosensitivity of the eyes, as well as any other diseases of the organ of vision, including a gradual decrease in its sharpness. In particular, those people who have a profession related to working at a computer, as well as those whose relatives suffered from diseases of the organ of vision, should pay attention to these rules. You need to constantly monitor the hygiene of your hands. Avoid rubbing your eyes with unwashed hands, as well as dirty or other people's handkerchiefs, towels, etc.

There is a certain category of professions associated with a negative impact on human vision. One of these professions is a welder. When working with welding, you must follow all safety regulations and work in a special protective mask or goggles.

If a person experiences constant dry eyes, especially in the evening, it is necessary to use special drops that are completely identical in composition to the composition of human tears. Dry eyes are usually more prone to people who have a profession associated with constant work at the computer. The use of drops containing the composition of "artificial tears" will help to avoid inflammation of the eye.

It is necessary to carry out daily treatment. An ophthalmologist should familiarize the patient with these exercises, selecting an individual list of exercises for each patient, depending on the state of his vision and diagnosis.

When going outside in the summer, protect your eyesight with dark glasses that properly protect your eyes from direct sunlight. It is important to avoid contact of unprotected eyes with the sun. It must be remembered that glasses not purchased in specialized stores will not be able to properly protect the eyes from sunlight.

If symptoms or discomfort in the eyes are detected, an ophthalmologist should immediately undergo a diagnosis. It must be remembered that various pathologies and degenerative destruction of eye tissues can be stopped only in the early stages of occurrence. That is why early diagnosis of eye diseases is very important.

It is also necessary to remember that the use of various folk recipes in the fight against photosensitivity or any other symptoms is undesirable, since such treatment may not only fail, but also lead to more serious consequences.

Summing up

Photophobia is a phenomenon that can become a “bell” about any pathologies associated with the eyes. If a person observes such a symptom for a long time, he should be examined by a doctor and find out for sure if he has any disorders related to the organ of vision.

Video - What to do with increased photosensitivity?

Photophobia is an abnormal intolerance of artificial or natural light by the organs of vision, under the influence of which uncomfortable sensations arise. The causes of photophobia of the eyes can have various and be accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms.

Why do the eyes react painfully to light?

Another name for this phenomenon is photophobia. Hypersensitivity to light, its fear is especially acute under the influence of bright light sources, and at dusk or in the dark, discomfort in the eyes is often less. The main manifestation of the pathological condition under consideration is the reflex closing of the eyelids and the desire to close the eyes with the hands from the light. Often there is also pain in the eyes, increased formation of lacrimal fluid, a feeling of "sand" in the eyes, which may indicate ophthalmic pathologies.

Asking questions why photophobia occurs, a symptom of what disease it may be, one should consider not only eye diseases among the possible causes. Thus, photophobia develops against the background of certain diseases of the central nervous system, is present in infectious lesions of the body that occur with severe intoxication, and appears as a side effect when taking certain medications (for example, furosemide, tetracycline). These reasons may be indicated by additional manifestations: headache, nausea, fever, etc.

A short-term increased sensitivity of the organs of vision, which occurs as a result of a long stay in a room with poor lighting, is considered a normal physiological phenomenon. This is explained by the fact that the pupil does not have time to quickly adapt to new conditions. This occurs after sleep, with prolonged reading, working at a computer monitor. If the symptom occurs frequently and does not go away for a long time, this should alert.

Psychosomatics of photophobia

Sometimes the fear of light is a neuropsychological disorder in which a person has a panic fear of sunlight. This deviation is called heliophobia and is accompanied by the appearance of such symptoms while being in open sunlight:

growing anxiety;
desire to take refuge in a safe place, to run away;
trembling in the body;
weakness;
increased heart rate;
loss of consciousness.

Heliophobia forces a person to limit their stay outdoors, narrowing the circle of contacts, making it difficult to study and find employment. Due to isolation, not only the psychological state suffers, but also physical health, because. without sunlight, the body does not produce vitamin D. People with this phobia have pale skin, low body weight, problems with their teeth and the skeletal system.

Fear of light with a cold

With viral and bacterial diseases of the respiratory system, accompanied by an increase in body temperature, photophobia of the eyes is often observed, especially with a direct look in the direction of light rays. The symptom is caused by intoxication of the body associated with the reproduction of pathogenic microbes and the penetration of their metabolic products into the blood, and from there into the muscle tissues, including the eye. In addition, the patient has redness of the eyeballs, burning in the eyes, pain when moving the eyes.

Sometimes pathogens affect the structures of the eye apparatus, causing a concomitant inflammatory process in the membrane surrounding the eyeball. In this case, depending on the signs of which disease, the fear of light is accompanied by mucous or purulent discharge from the eyes, pain, swelling of the eyelids. Less often, against the background of catarrhal infections, optic neuritis occurs, which has similar symptoms.

Photophobia in meningitis

With such a serious illness as, an infectious inflammation of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord occurs. Photophobia and headache, intolerance to loud sounds, a sharp rise in body temperature, vomiting, a rash on the body are the main symptoms of the disease. In patients, intracranial pressure increases, brain nerves and ocular vessels may be affected. Due to the rapid course and dangerous complications, patients with meningitis need immediate hospitalization.

Photophobia in measles

Adults rarely get sick, but when infected, they endure the disease severely, often with complications. This viral pathology is certainly accompanied by symptoms such as photophobia and lacrimation. Along with them, there are other characteristic manifestations: a sudden deterioration in the condition, severe weakness, fever, headache, runny nose, rash. The appearance of light intolerance in measles is primarily associated with inflammation of the mucous membrane of the organs of vision.

Photophobia - cataract

The disease, which occurs in many women of age, is characterized by a decrease in the transparency of the eye lens, its partial or complete clouding. The main manifestation of this pathology is the appearance of blurred vision, in which objects are seen with blurry contours and look like they are placed behind a misted glass. Often objects appear double in front of the eyes, color perception changes.

In many cases, with this disease, an increased sensitivity to light appears, and photophobia increases in the evening, and vision is significantly reduced in the dark. In addition, the vision of rainbow halos around light sources - lanterns, lamps is characteristic. This is due to the fact that light rays, reaching the clouded lens, scatter and do not reach the retina.

Photophobia in glaucoma

Among the causes of photophobia of the eyes, glaucoma stands out - a number of pathologies of the organs of vision, accompanied by increased intraocular pressure due to a violation of the outflow of fluid. As a result, pathological changes in the eye structures develop, visual acuity decreases, the optic nerve and retina are damaged. In adult patients, photophobia, the causes of which are associated with a variety of this pathology - angle-closure glaucoma, accompanies symptoms such as pain in the eye, headache, nausea.

How to get rid of photophobia?

Depending on the diseases in which photophobia is observed, the methods of getting rid of this symptom will vary. To establish a diagnosis, it is often necessary to consult not only an ophthalmologist, but also specialists from other fields of medicine. Having found provoking factors, it is necessary to start treatment, which can consist of conservative methods or surgical interventions. While treatment is being carried out, photophobia of the eyes can be minimized by adhering to the recommendations:

wearing sunglasses, preferably with brown-tinted filters;
limiting TV viewing, staying at the computer;
if the symptom occurs paroxysmal, it should be at this time in a darkened room.

Drops for photophobia of the eyes

Photophobia of the eyes, the causes of which are explained by ophthalmic diseases, is eliminated by the use of eye drops, often of the following:

antibacterial (antiseptic) - Levomycetin, Tobradex;
anti-inflammatory (hormonal and non-hormonal) - Dexamethasone, Indocollir;
moisturizing - Oksial, Cationorm;
vasoconstrictor - Okumetil, Vizin.

In some cases, together with treatment with eye preparations, it is recommended to carry out gymnastics and massage for the eyes. If, after applying the drops prescribed by the doctor for 3-5 days, photophobia is not eliminated and does not decrease, the treatment requires adjustment. It may be necessary to carry out repeated and additional diagnostic measures.

Treatment of photophobia of the eyes with folk remedies

With the permission of the doctor, you can try to reduce the fear of bright light through folk remedies. Many plants have proven themselves in the treatment of ophthalmic symptoms, and photophobia of the eyes, the causes of which are associated with eye pathologies, is no exception.

Drops recipe

Photophobia, or photophobia, is a deviation characterized by the occurrence of severe discomfort in the eyes caused by artificial lighting in the room. At the same time, in the dark or twilight, the visual organs feel and function quite normally.

Photosensitivity (another name for photophobia) is manifested by rather acute symptoms. It causes a feeling of severe pain and pain in the eyes, although such signs can also indicate the development of various ophthalmic pathologies, diseases of the nervous system or diseases accompanied by pronounced intoxication of the body.

Depending on the causes of the anomaly, the method of its treatment is also selected.

The main causes of photophobia

The most common causes that can cause photophobia in adults are:

- inflammation of the ocular conjunctiva, accompanied by pain and pain in the eyes, redness of the eye proteins, sometimes - the formation of pus (with the bacterial nature of the disease);
Iritis - inflammation of the iris of the visual organ;
- inflammation of the cornea;
Mechanical damage to the cornea;
Formation of ulcers or swelling in the eye area;
Albinism is a disease in which light rays penetrate not only through the pupils, but also through the discolored iris;
Frequent prolonged migraines;
Colds;
Prolonged exposure to sunlight;
Eye irritation resulting from violation of the rules of stay in the solarium;
Congenital photophobia, accompanied by a partial or complete absence of the pigment substance melanin;
Medical treatment of various diseases;
Daily long stay at the computer;
Eye exposure to prolonged exposure to bright light;
Acute attack;
Erosion of the cornea caused by the ingress of a foreign object on the eye cornea;
Examination of the fundus with subsequent artificial expansion of the pupil;
Viral and infectious diseases like measles, rabies, botulism;
Photophobia can also be a side effect of taking furosemide, quinine, doxycycline, belladonna, tetracycline, etc.;
retinal detachment;
Thermal or sunburn of the eyes;
Surgical interventions in the area of the visual organs (one or both);
A long stay in a dark room, after which bright lighting suddenly appears (such changes lead to the fact that the pupil simply does not have time to adapt to new conditions; this is quite normal, so you should not take it as a deviation).

The manifestation of photosensitivity is a fairly common anomaly in people wearing contact lenses. But such a deviation does not always occur, but only if they were incorrectly selected. In such a situation, irritation of the cornea occurs, which can also cause tearing and pain in the eyes.

Do not worry if photophobia arose against the background of a long stay in a dimly lit room. After a sharp appearance of bright light, the eye does not have time to adapt to new conditions, which may cause pain, pain and black spots (or dots). A similar deviation is observed in people who are accustomed to reading or working at a computer for a long time, as well as after waking up. But if photophobia is a constant symptom that does not disappear over a long period of time, this should seriously alert the person and make him turn to an ophthalmologist.

What are the symptoms?

Photophobia is called intolerance to bright light of artificial or natural origin, which occurs in one or both organs of vision.

Getting into conditions of bright lighting, people suffering from photophobia begin to reflexively squint and cover their eyes with their hands, or close them completely. This is due to the patient's instinctive desire to protect the visual organ from further irritation. If a person wears sunglasses, the symptoms of photophobia appear less acute.

With increased eye sensitivity to light, the following symptoms may occur:

blurring of the contours of objects;
blurred vision;
pain and feeling of sand in the eyes;
hyperemia of the mucous membranes of the eyeballs;
dilation of the pupils of the eyes;
increased tearing;
headache attacks.

Despite the above symptoms, photophobia in most cases is not an independent disease, but a sign of various ophthalmic pathologies. Especially if the patient also has:

swelling of the eyelids;
redness of the eye proteins that does not go away for a long period of time;
the presence of pus in the eyes.

In the absence of such symptoms, we can talk about the neurological origin of the pathology. However, in order to at least approximately understand what kind of disease is taking place, it is necessary to clearly define the signs that accompany photosensitivity.

Possible Complications

One of the most likely complications of photophobia is the aggravation or chronicity of the disease that caused it. In severe cases, ignoring photosensitivity can even lead to complete loss of vision.

In addition to a significant decrease in the patient's quality of life, photophobia can cause the development of such a serious psychological condition as heliophobia. The pathology is accompanied by a strong, often panicky fear of the sun's rays. People with heliophobia (and even those patients who have already got rid of photosensitivity) experience a strong emotional shock before going out into sunlight, fearing that it will again cause them pain, pain and discomfort in the eyes.

The fear of sunlight is accompanied by:

increased heart rate and respiration;
trembling in the limbs;
seizures;
nausea, sometimes with vomiting;
dizziness with the possibility of a short-term loss of consciousness (syncope);
panic attacks;
hysteria.

If you experience hypersensitivity to light, do not neglect the alarming symptoms. In order to avoid dangerous consequences, it is necessary to contact an ophthalmologist as soon as possible, since in some cases photophobia can be one of the signs of a brain tumor.

How to treat photophobia?

Since photophobia is only a symptom of a certain pathology, first you need to find out the cause of its occurrence. By eliminating the underlying disease, the patient will be able to get rid of the manifestations of photophobia. At the same time, it should be remembered that it is unlikely that it will be possible to eradicate the existing problem on your own, since most eye pathologies are similar to each other in terms of the clinical picture.

For this reason, it is necessary to consult an ophthalmologist and undergo a number of diagnostic tests. In particular:

Ophthalmoscopy, during which the doctor examines the fundus of the eye using a special technique for artificially dilating the pupil;
Biomicroscopy, carried out using a slit lamp, with which the eye is examined for changes in the areas of the fundus, as well as in the vitreous body;
Perimetry, with which the doctor checks the patient's visual fields;
Tonometry - a procedure during which an ophthalmologist measures intraocular pressure;
Gonioscopy - a study during which the iris of the eye borders on its cornea;
Pachymetry, which involves measuring the thickness of the cornea;
Ultrasound, which is carried out when it is impossible to perform ophthalmoscopy, and contributes to a thorough study of the transparent environment of the visual organ;
Fluorescein angiography when the patency of the ocular blood vessels is examined;
Optical coherence tomography, with which you can detect changes in the tissues of the retina;
Electroretinography- a procedure that contributes to a complete assessment of the functioning of the retina;
Bacteriological examination of discharge from the conjunctival sacs of the eyes, for the detection of viruses (by PCR), pathogens or fungi.

If the above procedures have shown that the patient has no problems with the health of the visual organs, he is shown a consultation with a neurologist. They can be assigned the following diagnostic procedures:

MRI of the brain;
electrocephalography;
dopplerography of the cervical blood vessels heading into the cranial cavity.

If necessary, an ultrasound scan of the thyroid gland and biochemical blood tests for TSH, T4 and T3, hormones produced by this gland, are performed. If hyperthyroidism or diabetic retinopathy is detected, treatment will be carried out by an endocrinologist. If there are signs of a tuberculous process in the ocular conjunctiva or cornea, the patient is referred to a phthisiatrician.

Prevention

To prevent the occurrence of photosensitivity, it is necessary, first of all, to protect the eyes from bright light. To do this, you need to purchase polarizing sunglasses that will filter ultraviolet radiation, preventing a large amount of it from entering the organs of vision.

In addition, it is necessary:

rub your eyes as little as possible, especially on the street, in a hospital and other public places;
give rest to the eyes more often while working at the computer;
use artificial tears (Vidisic);
if purulent inflammation occurs, use antiseptic or antibacterial drops (Okomistin, Levomycetin, Sulfacil, etc.).

If photophobia is the result of mechanical damage to the eye (trauma, burn, impact, etc.), the patient must immediately contact an ophthalmologist. To do this, call an ambulance, then treat the eyes with an antiseptic, and apply a sterile bandage over the visual organ. You should not delay a visit to the doctor, because behind the ordinary and, at first glance, harmless photophobia, diseases can be hidden that can pose a mortal danger to the patient.

Text: Irina Sergeeva

Eye Sensitivity: When Not to Worry

When we feel temporary discomfort when moving from shade to bright light, this is normal. Even more - in most cases, increased eye sensitivity. So, with a cold, infectious diseases of the sinuses, and even the ingress of particles of dirt into the eyes, irritation of the nerves extending from the eyes to the brain can occur. They send alarm signals to the brain, which is why you start to squint your eyes in normal daylight.

Also, eye sensitivity can increase when we take certain antibiotics, antihistamines, and other medications. Also, if you are used to wearing sunglasses to prevent the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays, your eyes will become less able to tolerate bright light. But this kind of hypersensitivity of the eyes to light does not pose a great danger to humans.

Eye sensitivity: when to see a doctor?

When should you see a doctor?

If you suddenly develop hypersensitivity of the eyes to bright light and this phenomenon lasts for more than one hour.

If, in addition to increased sensitivity to light, you experience pain or pressure in your eyes, and you see a halo around the light source.

If your eyes become more sensitive to light or interfere with your daily activities.

Intolerance to bright light can also be a consequence of the aging process. From around the age of 40, people become more sensitive to the dazzling effects of light reflected, for example, from the polished surface of the hood of a car. lakes or snow-covered benches. This change in the light sensitivity of the eyes occurs due to the aging of the lenses, which become thicker and cloudier, distorting the process of light scattering and causing a sensation of blinding.

There is another fairly common disorder. called macular degeneration. In this case, damage occurs to light-sensitive cells, which in the normal state ensure the adaptation of the eyes to bright light. These disorders occur predominantly in the elderly.

Hypersensitivity to light may also be one of the early warning signs of glaucoma, although visual disturbances and pain are the most common symptoms in this disease.

Any visual disturbances with a sudden onset require immediate medical attention. If it turns out that you are suffering from glaucoma, the sooner treatment is started, the greater the chance of maintaining vision. In the presence of eye adaptation disorders during the transition from bright light to a dark environment, for example, during a car ride, one can think of the initial manifestations of macular degeneration. Unfortunately, few treatments for the most common forms of this disease are effective. As a result, the case ends with visual impairment in the form of the so-called funnel syndrome, when a person loses the ability to see objects directly in front of him.

3750 04/18/2019 6 min.

Such a symptom as photophobia gives a person a lot of discomfort. In this case, any beam of light, daylight or artificial, on the area of the eyeball brings a feeling of discomfort, and sometimes even acute pain. Sometimes this manifestation is accompanied by lacrimation and redness of the eyes. What are the causes of photophobia? What to do in this case?

Disease Definition

Photophobia, or photophobia, is the discomfort in the eyes that appears in conditions of artificial and natural light. At the same time, at dusk or in complete darkness, the eyes of a sick person feel normal.

Photophobia should be distinguished from a pathological fear of exposure to the sun, which is called heliophobia and is a mental illness that is in no way associated with a violation of the visual organs.

Causes

There is congenital photophobia, in which the eye reacts to daylight or artificial light due to a lack of melanin pigment or its complete absence in the body.

The causes of photophobia that have arisen can be completely different:

Diseases of the organs of vision;
Features of the structure of the eyes (for example, albinism);
General diseases;
Adverse environmental impact (excess UV radiation).

The increased sensitivity of the eyes to light can be caused by taking certain medications. For example, to effectively diagnose the fundus, doctors instill drugs into the eyes that dilate the pupil, as a result of which the retina is exposed to increased exposure to light rays for some time. Also, photophobia can become a side reaction to taking drugs such as:

Quinine;
doxycycline;
Belladonna;
Furosemide.

In recent years, the cause of photophobia of the eyes is increasingly becoming a long stay at the computer ("computer syndrome"). Increased sensitivity of the eyes to light and wind occurs against the background of constant drying and visual stress.

An aggravated reaction to light from the eyes can also be caused by some diseases, such as:

Ulcers and lesions of the cornea;
tumors;
(inflammation of the cornea of the eye);
Iritis (inflammation of the iris of the eye);
Meningitis;
Diseases of the central nervous system;
Acute attack;
Refractive eye surgery.

Photophobia can also occur due to eye damage by bright light (for example, with snowy ophthalmia, welding without glasses, when looking at the sun, etc.).

Prolonged wearing of lenses can also lead to photophobia, especially if they were incorrectly selected. In rare cases, doctors are faced with photophobia caused by botulism, mercury poisoning, chronic fatigue, and depression.

Symptoms

A person suffering from photophobia, when he enters the illuminated space, squints, closes his eyes, tries to protect his eyes from the light with his hands. When wearing sunglasses, the situation improves slightly. Increased photosensitivity may be accompanied by additional symptoms, such as:

Headache;
Pupil dilation;
redness of the eyes;
Feeling of "sand" or "cutting" in the eyes;
Violation of visual acuity;
Blurred outlines of objects.

With an increase in sensitivity to light, you should not delay contacting a doctor, since this symptom may hide a malignant brain tumor that progresses rapidly.

Treatment

When contacting a medical institution with a photophobia problem, an oculist will definitely diagnose eye diseases. If photophobia is accompanied by fever, vomiting or allergic manifestations, you should also visit an infectious disease specialist or therapist to find out the cause.

in a medical way

It is useless to treat photophobia without identifying the cause and underlying pathology. Very often, this symptom goes away on its own when the irritating factor is eliminated or recovery after the underlying disease. You can reduce the manifestations of photophobia with the help of dark sunglasses and anti-inflammatory eye drops. Such measures will reduce discomfort, lead a normal lifestyle for the duration of the treatment of the underlying disease.

Treatment of photophobia of the eyes of envy from the reasons by which it is caused. If hypersensitivity to light has developed due to an inflammatory disease of any part of the eyeball, then after the inflammation focus is eliminated, photophobia will go away on its own.

Read about the causes of pain in the eyes.

With purulent discharge, it is necessary to use drops with antiseptics or antibiotics, for example, Okomistin, Levomycetin drops, Tobradex, etc.

If photophobia is the result of a bruise, injury, or burn to the eye, urgent ophthalmic care will be required. Beforehand, you can drip your eyes with antiseptic drops and apply a sterile bandage on top.

In the event that such a violation is associated with the ingress of a foreign body or contamination, then after the elimination of the negative factor and the rehabilitation of the injured organ, the disease can also go away on its own.

Sometimes photophobia is caused by the development of any infectious diseases that are not related to the work of the visual system and its normal functioning. In this case, treatment should be aimed at treating the underlying disease that provoked photophobia.

If photophobia is caused by taking certain medications, then the doctor will select an analogue that will not provoke such a reaction to light.

In the case of congenital or environmental photophobia, the doctor may recommend wearing contact lenses that minimize the negative reaction to light.

Read about tunnel vision.

It should be remembered that only an ophthalmologist can make a correct diagnosis, so a consultation with a doctor will guarantee effective treatment of photophobia.

Folk remedies

Read in detail about headaches in the forehead and eyes, read on.

Eye diseases can be treated not only with the help of medicines, but also with folk methods. We offer several recipes that can eliminate or reduce discomfort, including the symptom of photophobia:

Compress and infusion of Potentilla erectus. This plant helps to cure many eye diseases, including eliminating photophobia, as well as improve vision. To prepare a compress, you need 1 teaspoon of herbs, which you need to pour 200 ml of water. The broth must be brought to a boil, then let it brew for 3 hours. Infusion should wash the eyes before going to bed. A compress will also work well. Soak sterile gauze pads with infusion and apply to the eyes for half an hour.
Sweet clover compress. The flowering tops of this plant should be harvested in July. Pour 40 g of sweet clover with 200 ml of water and boil over low heat for 15 minutes. Cool the product, strain and apply tampons soaked in it in the morning and evening for 30 minutes.
Drops on "silver water". Boil water and cool, pour into a glass jar. Place some silver item there (coins or cutlery). Leave the water for a week, during this period it will be enriched with silver ions. Then take 4 large leaves of aloe (the plant must be over 3 years old) and place in the same container. Bring water to a boil, remove from heat, and wrap the pan in a large towel and blanket. The remedy should be infused until the morning. Strain the broth in the morning, then add 2 teaspoons of natural honey and stir until completely dissolved. Drip 2 drops in each eye 3 times a day. The course of treatment is from 1 week to six months. Such drops will relieve photophobia, inflammation of the eyes, cataracts, and also improve vision. You need to store them in the refrigerator.
Sea buckthorn oil. Helps to get rid of photophobia. The first two days you need to drip 1 drop of oil into the eye every 2 hours. And then 2 drops up to 3 times a day. It can also be used for compresses. Soak cotton pads with sea buckthorn oil and apply to the eyelids for half an hour 2 times a day.
Calendula with chamomile. Mix marigold and chamomile flowers. Pour a spoonful of the mixture with boiling water (250 ml) and infuse for 1 hour. Strain the infusion. Rinse your eyes several times a day or use an infusion for compresses. You can also drip the product into the eyes 2 drops 3 times a day.

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If, despite the use of folk recipes, photophobia does not go away within 7 days, you should seek the advice of an ophthalmologist.

Prevention

Photophobia is a very relevant problem in our time. Every person who wants to maintain their vision and health in general should know and adhere to the following preventive measures: