Photophobia

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External and internal eye anatomy

Photophobia is eye discomfort in bright light.

Light sensitivity; Vision - light sensitive; Eyes - sensitive to light

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.

• 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

Review Date: 04/13/2009
Reviewed By: Paul B. Griggs, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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