Photophobia Explained

Photophobia
Field: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 the Greek φῶς (phōs), meaning "light", and φόβος (phóbos), meaning "fear".[4] [5]

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:

Eye-related

Causes of photophobia relating directly to the eye itself include:

Nervous-system-related

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

Notes and References

  1. http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/photophobia thefreedictionary.com/photophobia
  2. http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/photophobia thefreedictionary.com/photophobia
  3. http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/photophobia thefreedictionary.com/photophobia
  4. https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dfw%3Ds2 φῶς
  5. https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dfo%2Fbos φόβος
  6. Hazin R, Abuzetun JY, Daoud YJ, Abu-Khalaf MM . Ocular complications of cancer therapy: a primer for the ophthalmologist treating cancer patients . Current Opinion in Ophthalmology . 20 . 4 . 308–317 . July 2009 . 19491683 . 10.1097/ICU.0b013e32832c9007 . 205670593 .
  7. Web site: Achromotopsoa . Scottish Sensory Centre . December 11, 2009.
  8. Book: Day, Susan . Paediatric Ophthalmology . Taylor, David . 2nd . P9: Photophobia . January 15, 1997 . Wiley-Blackwell. 978-0-86542-831-7 . 1034–1036.
  9. Web site: Photophobia . . December 11, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090929192633/http://www.tsbvi.edu/Education/anomalies/Photophobia.htm . September 29, 2009 .
  10. Web site: Blepharitis. The Lecturio Medical Concept Library . 28 September 2020. 5 July 2021.
  11. Web site: Conjunctivitis . . December 11, 2009 .
  12. Web site: Corneal ulcer . . December 11, 2009 .
  13. Fraunfelder. F. T.. Fraunfelder. F. W.. Edwards. R.. 2001-09-01. Ocular side effects possibly associated with isotretinoin usage. American Journal of Ophthalmology. 132. 3. 299–305. 0002-9394. 11530040. 10.1016/s0002-9394(01)01024-8. 37897437 .
  14. Fan X, Miles JH, Takahashi N, Yao G . Abnormal transient pupillary light reflex in individuals with autism spectrum disorders . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders . 39 . 11 . 1499–1508 . November 2009 . 19499319 . 10.1007/s10803-009-0767-7 . 32110116 .
  15. Web site: Light sensitivity – photophobia . . December 11, 2009.
  16. Web site: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome . . December 11, 2009.
  17. Journal of Pain Research . 7 . 99–115 . 21 February 2014 . Orofacial pain management: current perspectives . 10.2147/JPR.S37593 . Marcela . Romero-Reyes . James M. . Uyanik . free . 24591846 . 3937250 .
  18. Cooper AD, Josephs, KA . 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 . 18328771 . 2009 . 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2008.01.011.
  19. Web site: Photophobia – Glossary Entry . Genetics Home Reference . . December 11, 2009.
  20. Web site: Ankylosing spondylitis . . December 11, 2009.
  21. Encyclopedia: Albinism . MedicinePlus Medical Encyclopedia . . December 11, 2009.
  22. Book: Vitamins & Hormones . 1 . Harris . Robert S. . Kenneth V. . Thimann . February 11, 1943 . . 978-0-12-709801-2 . 88.
  23. Wakakura M, Tsubouchi T, Inouye J . Etizolam and benzodiazepine induced blepharospasm . Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry . 75 . 3 . 506–507 . March 2004 . 14966178 . 1738986 . 10.1136/jnnp.2003.019869.
  24. Encephale . March–April 1994 . 20 . 2 . 147–157 . Dépendance aux benzodiazépines. Aspects cliniques et biologiques . fr . Dependence on benzodiazepines. Clinical and biological aspects . Pelissolo A, Bisserbe JC . 7914165 .
  25. 2684432 . A case of bilateral presumed chikungunya neuroretinitis . 2009 . 57 . 2 . 19237792 . Mahesh . G. . Giridhar . A. . Shedbele . A. . Kumar . R. . Saikumar . S. J. . 148–150 . Indian Journal of Ophthalmology . 10.4103/0301-4738.45508 . free .
  26. 10.1093/brain/88.2.323 . Gauthier-Smith . P. C. . December 22, 2004 . Neurological complications of glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis) . . 88 . 2 . 323–334 . . 5828906.
  27. Web site: Influenza Virus (Orthomyxovirus) . Hunt . Margaret . University of South Carolina School of Medicine . December 11, 2009.
  28. Book: New Perspectives in Magnesium Research . Durlach . Jean . Hirotoshi . Morii . Yoshiki . Nishizawa . . March 6, 2007 . Springer London. 10.1007/978-1-84628-483-0_10 . 978-1-84628-388-8 . 117–126.
  29. Elemental mercury poisoning in a household—Ohio, 1989 . MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report . 39 . 25 . 424–5 . June 1990 . 2113168 . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) .
  30. Drummond PD . A quantitative assessment of photophobia in migraine and tension headache . Headache . 26 . 9 . 465–469 . October 1986 . 3781834 . 10.1111/j.1526-4610.1986.hed2609465.x . 10230356 .
  31. Human Rabies – Miami, 1994 . . . 43 . 42 . 28 October 1994 . 7935313 . 773–5 . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) .
  32. http://www.scdssociety.com SCDS Society
  33. Web site: Bailey . Gretchyn . Photophobia (Light Sensitivity) . All About Vision . 2012-11-13.
  34. Blackburn Marcus K.. etal. 2009 . FL-41 tint improves blink frequency, light sensitivity, and functional limitations in patients with benign essential blepharospasm . Ophthalmology . 116 . 5. 997–1001 . 10.1016/j.ophtha.2008.12.031. 19410958. 2701948.
  35. Katz . Bradley J. . Kathleen B. . Digre . Diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment of photophobia . Survey of Ophthalmology . 61 . 4 . 2016 . 466–477 . 10.1016/j.survophthal.2016.02.001 . 26875996.
  36. Stringham JM, Bovier ER, Wong JC, Hammond BR . The influence of dietary lutein and zeaxanthin on visual performance . Journal of Food Science . 75 . 1 . R24–9 . 2010 . 20492192 . 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2009.01447.x . free .
  37. https://www.axonoptics.com/photophobia-and-light-sensitivity/ Guide to Photophobia/Light Sensitivity
  38. http://www.lightmare.org/ Lightmare
  39. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/05/business/led-hid-headlights-blinding.html "Blinded by Brighter Headlights? It’s Not Your Imagination."

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