Photophobia (patient information): Difference between revisions

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{{Photophobia (patient information)}}
{{Photophobia (patient information)}}
{{CMG}}; {{AE}} {{Ochuko}}
==Overview==
==Overview==
Photophobia is eye discomfort in bright light.
Photophobia is eye discomfort in bright light.
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*Meningitis
*Meningitis
*Migraine headache
*Migraine headache
==Who is at highest risk?==
==Diagnosis==
The doctor will perform a physical examination, including an eye exam. You may be asked the following questions:
*When did the light sensitivity begin?
*Does it hurt all the time or just sometimes?
*How bad is it?
*Do you need to wear dark glasses or stay in dark rooms?
*Did a doctor recently dilate your pupils?
*Have you used any eye drops?
*Do you use contact lenses?
*Have you used soaps, lotions, cosmetics, or other chemicals around your eyes?
*Have you been around dust, wind, sun, pollen, or chemicals?
*Does anything make the sensitivity better or worse?
*Have you been injured?
*What medicines do you take?
*What other symptoms do you have?
The following tests may be done:
*Corneal scraping
*Lumbar puncture
*Pupil dilation
*Slit-lamp examination

Revision as of 15:53, 12 February 2013

Photophobia

Overview

What are the symptoms?

What are the causes?

Diagnosis

When to seek urgent medical care?

Treatment options

Photophobia On the Web

Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov

Images of Photophobia

Videos on Photophobia

FDA on Photophobia

CDC on Photophobia

Photophobia in the news

Blogs on Photophobia

Directions to Hospitals Treating Photophobia

Risk calculators and risk factors for Photophobia

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ogheneochuko Ajari, MB.BS, MS [2]

Overview

Photophobia is eye discomfort in bright light. Photophobia is a fairly common symptom. For many people, photophobia is not due to any disease. Severe photophobia may occur with eye problems and can cause severe eye pain even in relatively low light.

What are the symptoms?

  • Pain in the eye
  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Neck stiffness
  • Blurred vision
  • Sore or wound in eye
  • Redness
  • Itching
  • Swelling
  • Dizziness
  • Numbness or tingling elsewhere in the body
  • Changes in hearing

What are the causes?

  • Acute iritis or uveitis (inflammation inside eye)
  • Burns to the eye
  • Corneal abrasion
  • Corneal ulcer
  • Drugs such as amphetamines, atropine, cocaine, cyclopentolate, idoxuridine, phenylephrine, scopolamine, trifluridine, tropicamide, and vidarabine
  • Excessive wearing of contact lenses, or wearing badly fitted contact lenses
  • Eye disease, injury, or infection (such as chalazion, episcleritis, glaucoma)
  • Eye testing when the eyes have been dilated
  • Meningitis
  • Migraine headache

Who is at highest risk?

Diagnosis

The doctor will perform a physical examination, including an eye exam. You may be asked the following questions:

  • When did the light sensitivity begin?
  • Does it hurt all the time or just sometimes?
  • How bad is it?
  • Do you need to wear dark glasses or stay in dark rooms?
  • Did a doctor recently dilate your pupils?
  • Have you used any eye drops?
  • Do you use contact lenses?
  • Have you used soaps, lotions, cosmetics, or other chemicals around your eyes?
  • Have you been around dust, wind, sun, pollen, or chemicals?
  • Does anything make the sensitivity better or worse?
  • Have you been injured?
  • What medicines do you take?
  • What other symptoms do you have?

The following tests may be done:

  • Corneal scraping
  • Lumbar puncture
  • Pupil dilation
  • Slit-lamp examination