Photophobia is a disease or psychological feature of the body. What disease can photophobia be a symptom of?

Photophobia (or photophobia, in medical terms) is discomfort in the eyes that appears in conditions of artificial and natural light, despite the fact that in twilight and complete darkness a person’s eyes feel relatively normal.

Increased photosensitivity (this is another synonym for photophobia) may be accompanied by pain in the eyeballs, lacrimation or a feeling of “sand poured” in them, which indicates eye diseases. This symptom can also accompany pathologies of the nervous system, as well as diseases occurring with severe intoxication. Treatment for photophobia of the eyes depends on the cause of the condition.

A little anatomy

The human eyeball is only one of the sections of the peripheral part of the visual analyzer. It only captures the image and transforms the “colors of the world” into a kind of “code” understandable to the nervous system. Next, the “encoded” information is transmitted along the optic nerve, which approaches directly the posterior pole of the eyeball, first to the subcortical centers of the brain, and then to its cortex. It is the latter, which is the central part of the visual analyzer, that carries out analytical work on the resulting image.

The eyeball consists of three membranes:

External, fibrous

It is represented in front by a transparent cornea, on the other three sides (where eyeball closed from the external environment), fibrous tissue, called the sclera, is dense and opaque.

The cornea receives oxygen from the air. Its vital activity is also supported by:

• a network of arteries located in the place where the cornea meets the sclera;
• moisture in the anterior chamber of the eye;
• tear fluid secreted by lacrimal glands localized on the conjunctival membrane (this is a kind of mucous membrane that passes from inside eyelid on the sclera, not reaching the cornea);
• mucus secreted by the cells of the conjunctival membrane.

Inflammation of the sclera is called scleritis, the cornea is called keratitis, and the conjunctiva is called conjunctivitis.

Choroid

The choroid is the richest in vessels and is divided into several parts:

• the iris, inflammation of which is called “iritis”. It is needed to regulate the flow of light into the eye depending on the illumination;
• ciliary body. It is needed in order to produce intraocular fluid, filter it and ensure its outflow. Its inflammation is called cyclitis;
• the choroid itself, the choroid, whose inflammation is called “choroiditis”.

Retina

Its inflammation is called “retinitis” - this is the inner lining of the eyeball. It is believed that this is a part of the brain that separated from it in the prenatal period, when the nervous system was being formed, and continues to communicate with it using the optic nerve. The retina is the structure that receives information about the image and will convert it into signals that are understandable nerve cells brain

Main causes of photophobia

The causes of photophobia are irritation of the following nerve systems:

Trigeminal nerve endings

which are embedded in the structures of the anterior part of the eyeball: the cornea and parts of the choroid. Such photophobia becomes a symptom:

• glaucoma;
• conjunctivitis;
• eye injuries;
• iritis, cyclitis or iridocyclitis;
• keratitis;
• uveitis;
• allergic keratoconjunctivitis;
• foreign body corneas;
• corneal burn;
• electric and snow ophthalmia;
• corneal erosions;
• flu;
• rubella;
• measles;
• incorrectly selected contact lenses;
• computer vision syndrome.

Visual-nervous structures of the retina:

• when the eyes are irritated by bright light;
• with albinism, when the iris is light and does not protect the retina from bright rays;
• when the pupil is dilated, especially persistently, caused either by a brain tumor or edema, or by eye drops (for example, atropine or tropicamide), or by the use of certain drugs, or by botulism;
• with complete or partial absence of the iris;
• with color blindness;
• retinal detachment.

Photophobia can also be caused by such a process (this is typical for severe lesions cornea):

• nerves coming from the inflamed cornea go to the necessary part of the brain;
• some of them, as intended by nature, fall not only into the area of ​​subcortical structures that are “responsible” for the diseased eye, but also into the neighboring one, the one that should transmit impulses from the healthy eyeball to the cortex;
• in such a situation only complete removal A healthy eyeball can be saved by a healthy one.

Increased photosensitivity that develops during migraine retrobulbar neuritis(this pathology can develop as an independent disease, it is also characteristic of multiple sclerosis) or trigeminal neuralgia (it is most often caused by herpes zoster) is explained by this phenomenon. Impulses coming from the retina reach the subcortical nuclei. There they are collected and sent to the cortical structures. But, being previously summed up and amplified in the subcortical nuclei of the corresponding nerve (for example, trigeminal), they exceed the sensitivity threshold, which is why photophobia appears.

The mechanism of photosensitivity in brain pathologies, such as an abscess, its tumor, hemorrhage into the cranial cavity or inflammation meninges(meningitis) has not been fully studied, and therefore is not presented here.

Symptoms of photophobia

Photophobia is a complete intolerance to bright light in one or both eyes, and the light can be either natural or artificial. A person suffering from photophobia, when exposed to an illuminated space, closes his eyes, squints, and tries to protect his organs of vision with his hands. When putting on sunglasses the situation is improving somewhat.

Increased photosensitivity may be accompanied by:

• headache;
• lacrimation;
• dilated pupils;
• redness of the eyes;
• a feeling of “sand” or “soreness” in the eyes;
• impaired visual acuity;
• unclear outlines of objects.

Photophobia is a sign of eye diseases if, in addition to it, there is decreased vision, redness of the eyes, swelling of the eyelids, and purulent discharge from them. If there are no such symptoms, most likely it is a pathology of the nervous system.

Depending on the accompanying manifestations of photophobia, one can roughly guess which diseases photophobia is a symptom of. This is what we will look at next.

If photophobia is accompanied by lacrimation

The appearance of photophobia and lacrimation at the same time does not indicate a lesion lacrimal glands or lacrimal ducts. With such pathologies, there will be no increased photosensitivity, but lacrimation will increase in the cold and wind. The combination of these symptoms will occur with the following diseases:

Mechanical injury

In this case, the fact of injury itself takes place, that is, the person can say that he received a blow, a foreign body (insect, eyelash, sliver or splinter) or solution (for example, shampoo or soap) was hit and removed. In this case there will be:

• photophobia;
• eye pain;
• blurriness of the objects in question or a “veil” before the eye;
• severe lacrimation;
• constriction of the pupil.

Symptoms are observed in the affected eye.

Corneal lesions

This is its inflammation (keratitis), which has an infectious (including herpetic) or allergic nature, an ulcer or erosion of the cornea, a burn of the cornea. They have somewhat similar symptoms, and only an ophthalmologist can distinguish them based on an examination of the organ of vision:

• pain in the eye, especially pronounced with ulcers and burns of the cornea;
• photophobia;
• lacrimation;
• suppuration;
• involuntary closing of the eyelids;
• blurred vision;
• sensation of a foreign body under the eyelid;
• redness of the sclera;
• decreased transparency of the cornea (as if a film varying degrees turbidity, up to the state of a “porcelain film” on the eye).

These diseases begin acutely, can last a long time, and can lead to the formation of cataracts and blindness.

Symptoms are almost always one-sided. Bilateral damage mainly occurs with autoimmune damage to the organs of vision.

Conjunctivitis

Begins acute conjunctivitis with the appearance of pain and stinging in the eyes. The latter turn red, and small hemorrhages may be noticeable in some areas. Excreted from the conjunctival sac a large number of tears, mucus and pus (because of this, the eyes “sour”). In addition, general health worsens: headache, the temperature rises, and malaise develops.

Herpes zoster lesion of the trigeminal nerve

It is manifested by the following symptoms:

• the appearance of prodromal phenomena: malaise, headache, fever and chills;
• even near one eye, in a certain area, discomfort appears from mild itching to severe, “drilling” or burning, deep pain;
• then the skin in this place becomes red, swollen, painful;
• bubbles with transparent contents appear on the skin;
• tearing and redness of the eye on the affected side;
• after healing, which is accelerated by applying “Acyclovir” (“Gerpevir”) in ointment or “Acyclovir” in tablets to the rash, crusts form at the site of the rash, which can scar with defects;
• even after healing, pain in the eye and lacrimation may persist long time.

ARVI, flu

These diseases are manifested not only by lacrimation and photophobia. Here there is an increase in temperature, runny nose (with the flu - not from the first day), cough. Influenza is also characterized by muscle and bone pain, headaches, and pain when moving the eyeballs.

Snow or electroophthalmia

These peripheral lesions eye analyzer, arising from exposure to ultraviolet rays from welding or from the sun reflected from snow, manifest themselves:

• photophobia;
• lacrimation;
• sensation of sand or foreign body in the eyes;
• clouding of the corneal epithelium;
• redness of the sclera;
• forced closing of eyes.

Retinal abiotrophy

This is the name of a genetically determined process in which the rods and cones on the retina, responsible for the formation of images, gradually die off. The lesion almost always affects both eyes, develops gradually, and is accompanied by:

• photophobia;
• not very pronounced lacrimation;
• gradual narrowing of the visual field (a smaller panorama can be covered by looking);
• night blindness;
• eyes get tired very quickly;
• the acuity of color and black-and-white vision gradually decreases;
• after a while a person becomes blind.

Developmental abnormalities of the eyeballs

For example, complete absence iris, may be accompanied by:

1. photophobia;
2. lacrimation;
3. the person sees practically nothing, covers his eyes with his hand in the light;
4. the eyeballs, when trying to fix their gaze, make sweeping movements left and right or down and up.

There is also congenital partial absence of the iris. It manifests itself with similar symptoms that are not as pronounced.

Chronic retinitis

Inflammation of the retina is caused by microbes that enter the inner shell eyes, being transferred by blood from the source of infection, or due to direct injury to the eye. The disease occurs without eye pain. The following symptoms are present:

• decreased vision;
• deterioration of vision adaptation in the dark;
• vagueness of objects;
• deterioration of color vision;
• sensation of “flashes”, “sparks”, “lightning” in the eyes.

Retinal melanoma

This malignant tumor, which develops from melanin-producing cells lying on the retina, is manifested by the following symptoms:

• blurred vision;
• redness of the sclera;
• eye pain;
• change in the shape of the pupil.

Acute retinal detachment

This vision-threatening disease occurs when eye injuries as a complication inflammatory pathologies other membranes of the eye, with intraocular tumors, hypertension, toxicosis of pregnancy, blockage of the lumen (occlusion) of the central retinal artery.

The disease is characterized by the initial appearance of flashes of light, floating lines, “floaters” or black dots before the eyes. This may be accompanied by eye pain. With progressive separation of the inner eye membrane, the following are noted:

• a veil before the eyes that tends to increase until it covers the entire field of vision;
• visual acuity decreases. Sometimes, in the morning, vision may improve for a short time, as the fluid is absorbed overnight, and the retina temporarily “sticks” to its original place;
• may begin to see double.

The disease can progress slowly and, if left untreated, result in complete loss of vision in the affected eye.

Acute disorders of exchange and circulation of fluid in the eye

The main one is glaucoma, which can proceed for a long time without visible symptoms, and then manifest itself in the form of an acute attack. It is characterized by:

• dilation of the pupil and, accordingly, photophobia;
• pain in the eye;
• pain in the head, especially in the back of the head, on the affected side;
• nausea;
• vomiting;
• weakness.

Retinopathy, including diabetic

These are pathologies of the retina in which its blood supply is disrupted, as a result both it and the next one behind it optic nerve gradually atrophy, leading to blindness. May occur due to diabetes mellitus, hypertension, trauma and other pathologies in which the blood circulation of the retina is not disrupted acutely, but occurs gradually.

Symptoms of retinopathy depend on its type, as well as on the location of the affected vessel. The main manifestations are:

• spots floating before the eyes;
• narrowing of visual fields;
• floating "veil";
• progressive decrease in vision;
• color vision impairment.

Intraocular hemorrhage

The symptoms of this pathology depend on the location of the hemorrhages. So, with hemorrhage in the anterior chamber of the eye (hyphema), the area where the blood has flowed is visible on the eyeball, but vision is not affected. If hemorrhage occurs in the area of ​​the vitreous body (hemophthalmos), flashes of light appear and “floaters” move with the movements of the eyeballs.

Hemorrhage under the conjunctiva looks like a purple spot on the eye that does not disappear for a long time.

If blood has spilled into the cavity of the orbit, there is a noticeable protrusion of the diseased eye forward, difficulty in moving it, and decreased vision.

Rabies

This is a disease caused by a virus transmitted by the bite of an animal with rabies (foxes, dogs, and less commonly cats). Its first manifestations can begin even several years after the bite and consist of:

• photophobia;
• hydrophobia;
• excessive secretion of saliva;
• sound phobia;
• lacrimation.

Oculomotor nerve palsy

As a result of this condition, a person cannot move the eye in any direction (depending on which nerve is damaged), which leads to squint and double vision. When asked to follow a moving object, rapid, sweeping movements of the gaze are noticeable.

Lack of melanin in the iris

This disease, called albinism, is visible to the naked eye - by a light, sometimes even red, iris (this is how the retinal vessels are visible). The skin may be fair, highly sensitive to light, but the level of melanin in it may also remain unchanged.

Manifestations from the eyes are as follows:

• strabismus;
• photophobia;
• wide involuntary eye movements;
• lacrimation in bright light;
• decreased visual acuity despite the fact that there are no changes in the structures of the eye.

Increased thyroid function

A person suffering from this disease loses weight with increased appetite, becomes more nervous, and is often bothered by fear and insomnia. The patient's pulse is increased, speech is accelerated, tearfulness and impaired concentration are observed. On the part of the eyes, their protrusion is noted, and since the eyelids cannot completely cover the eyeballs, dryness, pain in the eyes, lacrimation and photophobia appear.

Iritis

This is an inflammation of the iris of the eye that occurs as a result of injuries, allergic reactions and systemic diseases. It begins with the onset of severe pain in the eye, which then extends to the temple and head. Eye pain worsens in the light and when pressing on the eye. As the disease progresses, photophobia appears, the pupils narrow, and the person blinks frequently.

Uveitis

This is the name for inflammation of all parts of the choroid. The disease is characterized by:

• redness of the eyes;
• increased photosensitivity;
• sore eyes;
• lacrimation;
• floating spots before the eyes;
• eye irritation.

Migraine

Pathology associated with impaired innervation of the blood vessels of the head manifests itself:

• pain usually in one half of the head;
• photophobia, usually on both sides;
• nausea;
• intolerance to loud sounds and bright light;
• lacrimation.

Meningitis and encephalitis

These are inflammatory processes that occur as a result of microbes entering the membranes or substance of the brain. They are manifested by headache, fever, photophobia, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, lacrimation. With encephalitis appear focal symptoms: facial asymmetry, paralysis or paresis, swallowing disorders, convulsions.

Hemorrhagic stroke

Hemorrhage into the cranial cavity is also characterized by a combination of photophobia and lacrimation. The temperature rises, there may be convulsions, focal neurological symptoms.

If photophobia is accompanied by eye pain

The combination of eye pain and photophobia is characteristic of eye diseases:

1. Mechanical injury to the cornea;
2. Corneal burns;
3. Corneal ulcer;
4. Keratoconjunctivitis;
5. Endophthalmitis is a purulent abscess located in the internal structures of the eye. It is characterized by pain in the eye, progressive decrease in vision, and floating spots in the field of vision. The eyelids and conjunctiva swell and turn red. There is pus flowing from the eye.
6. Acute attack of glaucoma.

If photophobia is accompanied by redness of the eyes

When red eyes and photophobia go hand in hand, this may indicate:

• Mechanical eye injury;
• Keratitis;
• Corneal burns;
• Corneal ulcer;
• Acute anterior uveitis (inflammation of the iris and ciliary body). It manifests itself as pain in the eyes, blurred vision, redness around the cornea, and a decrease in pupil diameter;
• Conjunctivitis, which is manifested by photophobia, redness of both eyes, purulent discharge from the eyes, photophobia. Visual acuity, corneal shine and pupillary reaction to light were not changed.

When photophobia is combined with a rise in temperature

The combination of photophobia and temperature is characteristic of the pathologies discussed above:

1. meningitis;
2. encephalitis;
3. endophthalmitis;
4. purulent uveitis;
5. hemorrhagic stroke;
6. sometimes – trigeminal neuralgia;
7. brain abscess. After suffering a traumatic brain injury, sinusitis or other purulent pathology, the temperature rises, headache, nausea, and vomiting appear. Focal symptoms also appear: facial asymmetry, paralysis or paresis, difficulty swallowing or breathing, personality changes.

When increased photosensitivity is accompanied by headaches

If photophobia and headache bother you equally strongly, it may be:

• Brain abscess.
• Migraine.
• Meningitis.
• Encephalitis.
• Acromegaly is a disease resulting from increased output growth hormone in an adult whose growth has ended. The main reason is a hormone-producing tumor of the lobe of the pituitary gland that synthesizes growth hormone. Photophobia does not appear as the first symptom, but as the disease progresses. The first symptoms are headaches, enlargement of the nose, lips, ears, lower jaw, joint pain, deterioration in the quality of sexual life and reproductive function person.
• Stroke.
• Tension headache. It manifests itself as a monotonous, squeezing headache, as if in a “hoop” or “vice,” that occurs after overwork. It is accompanied by fatigue, sleep disturbances, decreased appetite, and photophobia.
• Acute attack of glaucoma.

When increased light sensitivity of the eyes is accompanied by nausea

When nausea and photophobia go together, most often this indicates an increase in intracranial, intraocular pressure or significant intoxication. This is possible with such pathologies as:

• meningitis;
• encephalitis;
• brain abscess;
• hemorrhagic stroke;
• migraine.

If you feel pain in your eyes and photophobia

Pain in the eyes and photophobia can be the main signs of pathologies such as:

1. keratitis;
2. conjunctivitis;
3. uveitis;
4. corneal burns or ulcers;
5. trigeminal neuralgia;
6. astigmatism is one of the types of visual acuity impairment;
7. blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelids caused by a microbial agent. It is manifested by swelling, redness and thickening of the edges of the eyelids, accumulation of gray-white mucus in the corners of the eyes, and redness of the conjunctiva. Instead of mucus, scales may accumulate in the corners of the eyes yellow color or particles resembling dandruff on the head.

Photophobia in children

Photophobia in a child may indicate:

• foreign body in the eye;
• conjunctivitis;
• snow ophthalmia;
• oculomotor nerve palsy;
• hyperfunction thyroid gland;
• decrease in the amount of melanin in the iris;
• acrodynia – specific disease, which is manifested by increased sweating on the palms and soles, which also become pink and sticky. There is also an increase in blood pressure, tachycardia, loss of appetite and photophobia. Such a child becomes hypersensitive to infection, which tends to generalize in the body and lead to death.

Symptom therapy

Treatment of photophobia is entirely based on the cause of this symptom. This requires ophthalmological diagnosis, since many eye diseases are similar to each other. To make a diagnosis, the following studies are needed:

1. Ophthalmoscopy – examination of the fundus through a previously dilated pupil.
2. Biomicroscopy - examination in a special slit lamp for changes in the vitreous body and areas of the fundus.
3. Perimetry - checking visual fields.
4. Tonometry is the measurement of intraocular pressure.
5. Gonioscopy is an examination of the corner of the eye where the iris borders the cornea.
6. Pachymetry is the measurement of corneal thickness.
7. Ultrasound of the eye helps to examine the transparent media of the eye when it is impossible to perform ophthalmoscopy.
8. Fluorescein angiography is a study of the patency of blood vessels that supply the structures of the eye.
9. Optical coherence tomography - helps to identify changes in retinal tissue.
10. Electroretinography - helps to carefully study the functioning of the retina.
11. Sowing the discharge from the conjunctival sac for viruses (using the PCR method), bacteria and fungi.

If, according to the results of an ophthalmological examination, a person is healthy, an examination by a neurologist is necessary. This specialist also prescribes additional studies:

• MRI of the brain;
• electrocephalography;
• Dopplerography of the vessels of the neck, which are directed into the cranial cavity.

An ultrasound of the thyroid gland, determination of hormones produced by this gland in the blood, and radiography of the lungs are also prescribed. If signs of hyperthyroidism or diabetic retinopathy treatment is carried out by an endocrinologist. If there is evidence of a tuberculous process in the cornea and conjunctiva, therapy is prescribed by a phthisiatrician.

What can you do before consulting a specialist?

We do not recommend delaying contacting a doctor, as seemingly banal photophobia may hide a malignant brain tumor that is rapidly progressing. But while you're waiting for your appointment with a doctor or for a test, you don't have to suffer from daylight. To alleviate the condition, buy polarized sunglasses, which will make it possible to reduce the dose of ultraviolet radiation entering the eye. In addition you need:

• stop rubbing your eyes;
• reduce time spent sitting at the computer;
• use Vidisik drops containing artificial tears;
• for purulent discharge, use drops with antiseptics or antibiotics: “Okomistin”, “Levomycetin drops”, “Tobradex” and others. In this case, an examination by an ophthalmologist is mandatory, since purulent process may affect deeper parts of the eye, to which the local antiseptic “does not reach”;
• If photophobia appears as a result of a bruise, injury or burn to the eye, emergency ophthalmological assistance is needed. Pre-drip your eyes with antiseptic drops, apply on top sterile bandage, and call an ambulance.

After spending a long time in an unlit room, when going out into the light, your eyes begin to hurt and water. You have to close your eyes and wait for the pupil to adapt to the light. This is a familiar situation, dear reader, isn’t it? However, this is a normal reaction to a sudden change in the brightness of the environment. But there are cases when such adaptation is delayed, which may indicate photophobia - fear, or rather intolerance, of light. What could have caused it to arise? How to prevent the development of photophobia and is it possible to cure such a disease?

Causes of fear of light

The symptom of sun intolerance occurs in a wide range of the human population, but you should not immediately associate it with the disease. That may be why various reasons. For example, a long stay in a dimly lit room does not allow the pupil to quickly adapt. A person often squints his eyes, his tear production increases. This is what happens when a person has a fear of light. Signs of which disease can cause light intolerance:

1. may manifest itself in the presence of allergic reactions in the active phase (for example, poplar fluff, house dust, etc.);
2. Burns and other thermal damage to the mucous membrane of the eye;
3. Glaucoma. A disease in which systematic jumps in intraocular pressure occur. At the time of an acute attack, the iris and pupil of the eye are partially or completely painted with a bluish color, “sea wave color” - if translated literally from ancient Greek language"glaucoma";
4. Ulcerative changes in the cornea;
5. Conjunctivitis. Inflammatory process of the mucous membrane of the eye. There is partial or complete redness of the white of the eyeball;
6. Anterior uveitis (in other words,). Inflammatory process of the iris of the eyeball;
7. Computer syndrome. A disease that occurs in people who spend a long time in front of a monitor screen;
8. Colds. Often during the first 1-3 days the patient experiences acute eye pain in bright light;
9. Rare features of human nature - albino people;
10. Lenses. Wearing them for a long time leads to painful sensations when in brightly lit rooms and outdoors.

Symptoms of photophobia

Medical specialists and researchers have identified the following symptoms:

• Recurrent or frequent headaches;
• Increased tear production;
• Feeling of “sand” in the eyes;
• Periodic or constant desire to squint or close your eyelids altogether.

This is the most frequent symptoms, the presence of half of which (at least!) indicates that you should immediately visit an ophthalmologist. Therefore, as soon as an eye specialist is able to confirm or deny the presence of a specific disease and prescribe treatment. Self-medication in such cases can make the situation worse. This will lead not only to the loss of time and financial resources, but also to deprive the most important and precious thing - healthy vision.

Procedures that can only be prescribed by a doctor to accurately diagnose the disease:

• Ultrasound examination of the eye;
• Lumbar puncture;
• CT scan of the brain;
• Slit lamp examination;
• Physical examination by a medical specialist;
• Electroencephalogram.

Preventive procedures for fear of sunlight

As preventative measures, you can use the following tips:

1. Personal hygiene. Nobody has yet canceled the daily observance of basic hygiene rules;
2. Welding work is carried out exclusively in full compliance with safety regulations;
3. Eye exercises are the optimal, and, most importantly, safe and free solution for the prevention of many eye ailments. Including photophobia.
4. Dry eye syndrome involves the use of special medications “artificial tears”;
5. Sunglasses with lower transmission of ultraviolet rays.

Children's photophobia

Treatment of photophobia

All doctors unanimously declare that self-medication may not only not correct, but on the contrary, complicate the situation many times over. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary for the ophthalmologist to accurately determine the type and nature of the disease and prescribe a certain course of treatment to completely eliminate it.

Throughout the course of treatment, you must follow simple rules such as:

• A categorical ban on street walks in sunny weather without glasses with darkened lenses with 100% protection from ultraviolet rays.
• Photophobia can be triggered by taking any medication. In this case, you must contact your doctor with a health complaint. The doctor is obliged to conduct a diagnosis and determine whether photophobia was actually caused by taking the medication. If the cause of photophobia is confirmed, you should insist on changing the drug, taking into account the body’s personal intolerance.
• Photophobia can be temporary, provoked by ophthalmic inflammation, treatment is carried out using eye drops with antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and moisturizing components.

For patients with congenital disease Turning on the light in the room once again or looking out the window during the day becomes real torture. Therefore, medical specialists have developed special sunglasses and contact lenses with a lower transmission of UV rays, which allows you to live a rich, full life.

At the same time, in the dark or twilight, the visual organs feel and function quite normally.

Photosensitivity (another name for photophobia) manifests itself quite acute symptoms. It causes a feeling of severe pain and pain in the eyes, although such signs may also indicate the development of various ophthalmological 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 selected.

Main causes of photophobia

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

1. Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the ocular conjunctiva, accompanied by pain and pain in the eyes, redness of the whites of the eyes, and sometimes the formation of pus (if the disease is bacterial in nature);
2. Iritis – inflammation of the iris visual organ;
3. Keratitis – inflammation of the cornea;
4. Mechanical damage to the cornea;
5. Formation of ulcers or tumors in the eye area;
6. Albinism is a disease in which light rays penetrate not only through the pupils, but also through the discolored iris;
7. Frequent, prolonged migraines;
8. Colds;
9. Prolonged exposure to sunlight;
10. Eye irritation resulting from violation of the rules of staying in a solarium;
11. Congenital photophobia, accompanied by partial or complete absence of the pigment substance melanin;
12. Drug treatment of various diseases;
13. Daily long stay at the computer;
14. Exposure of the eyes to prolonged exposure to bright light;
15. Acute attack of glaucoma;
16. Corneal erosion caused by a foreign object entering the eye cornea;
17. Examination of the fundus followed by artificial dilation of the pupil;
18. Viral and infectious diseases such as measles, rabies, botulism;
19. Photophobia can also be a side effect of taking furosemide, quinine, doxycycline, belladonna, tetracycline, etc.;
20. Retinal detachment;
21. Thermal or sunburn of the eyes;
22. Surgical interventions in the area of ​​the visual organs (one or both);
23. Spending a long time 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 phenomenon, so should not be taken as a deviation).

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.

Don’t worry if photophobia occurs due to long stay in a dimly lit room. After sudden appearance bright light, the eyes do not have time to adapt to new conditions, which can 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 force him to consult an ophthalmologist.

What are the symptoms?

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

When exposed to bright lighting, people suffering from photophobia begin to reflexively squint and cover their eyes with their hands, or close their eyes 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 are less severe.

If your eyes are hypersensitive to light, the following symptoms may occur:

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

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 occurring, it is necessary to clearly define the signs accompanying photosensitivity.

Possible complications

One of the most likely complications of photophobia is the worsening or chronicity of the disease that caused its occurrence. IN severe cases Ignoring photosensitivity can even lead to complete loss of vision.

In addition to significantly reducing 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 gotten rid of photosensitivity) experience severe emotional shock before going out into sunlight, fearing that it will again cause pain, pain and discomfort in their eyes.

Fear of sunlight is accompanied by:

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

If hypersensitivity to light occurs, do not neglect the alarming symptoms. To avoid dangerous consequences, it is necessary to contact an ophthalmologist as soon as possible, since in some cases photophobia may be one of the signs of the presence 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. It should be remembered that it is unlikely that you will be able to eradicate the existing problem on your own, since most eye pathologies are similar to each other in terms of clinical picture.

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

1. Ophthalmoscopy, during which the doctor examines the fundus of the eye using a special technique to artificially dilate the pupil;
2. Biomicroscopy, performed using a slit lamp, with which the eye is examined for changes in the fundus of the eye, as well as in the vitreous body;
3. Perimetry, with which the doctor checks the patient’s visual fields;
4. Tonometry is a procedure during which an ophthalmologist measures intraocular pressure;
5. Gonioscopy is a study in which the iris of the eye borders its cornea;
6. Pachymetry, which involves measuring the thickness of the cornea;
7. Ultrasound examination, which is carried out when it is impossible to perform ophthalmoscopy, and facilitates a thorough study of the transparent environment of the visual organ;
8. Fluorescein angiography, which examines the patency of the eye blood vessels;
9. Optical coherence tomography, which can be used to detect changes in the tissues of the retina;
10. Electroretinography is a procedure that facilitates a complete assessment of the functioning of the retina;
11. Bacteriological examination of discharge from the conjunctival sacs of the eyes for the detection of viruses (by PCR method), pathogens or fungi.

If the procedures described above show that the patient has no problems with the health of the visual organs, he is advised to consult a neurologist. They may be prescribed the following diagnostic procedures:

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

If necessary, an ultrasound of the thyroid gland and biochemical blood tests for TSH, T4 and T3 are performed - hormones produced by this gland. 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 photosensitivity, you must first protect your eyes from bright light. To do this, you need to purchase polarizing sunglasses that will filter ultraviolet radiation, preventing large amounts of it from entering the organs of vision.

In addition, you must:

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

If photophobia is the result of mechanical damage to the eye (trauma, burn, blow, etc.), the patient must immediately consult an ophthalmologist. To do this, call " ambulance", then treat the eyes with an antiseptic, and apply a sterile bandage over the visual organ. You should not delay your visit to the doctor, since ordinary and, at first glance, harmless photophobia may hide diseases that may represent mortal danger for the patient.

Good to know:

Add a comment Cancel reply

Transcription of analyzes online

Doctors consultation

Fields of Medicine

Popular

Only a qualified doctor can treat diseases.

What leads to the development of photophobia

Photophobia is a response to light when pain occurs when it enters the organ of vision. The person closes his eyes or covers them with his hand. Such a process is considered normal if it occurs abrupt change darkness into light. But photophobia may also indicate the development of a rather severe pathological process that urgently needs to be treated.

Causes

When a person is in the dark for a long time, but the presence of bright light leads to the development of unpleasant symptoms. This is explained by the fact that the pupils have not yet had time to get used to the sudden change in light conditions. The result is watery eyes and inflammation of the eyelids.

To get rid of this condition, the first thing you need to do is understand the cause of the problem. Otherwise wait positive effect not worth treatment.

The development of photophobia occurs for the following reasons:

1. Conjunctivitis. This infectious process, in this case an acute form of inflammation occurs, pain in the eyes, purulent discharge, pain in bright light.
2. Mechanical injury to the cornea or detection ulcerative lesion on the epidermis.
3. Iridocyclitis. This is an inflammation that affects the iris of the visual organ. One of the common symptoms of this disease is eye pain in bright light.
4. Glaucoma is a disease in which eye pressure increases.
5. Horse racing blood pressure may lead to a painful reaction to bright light.
6. Forced dilation of the pupil during medical procedures.
7. Allergic reactions of acute type.
8. Long-term use of medications belonging to the tetracycline group. Photophobia also occurs when using quinine and furosemide. Doxycycline deserves special attention. When taken as a side effect, pain in the eyes may develop in bright light.
9. Dry keratoconjunctivitis. It occurs in people who spend a lot of time working at the computer.
10. When performing welding work, vision is impaired under the influence of bright light.

Photophobia may be a result special structure visual organ and retina in people with different colors iris. Albinos are often diagnosed with a fear of light.

Possible diseases

Photophobia can be congenital or acquired. The first type of pathology is formed due to a lack of a special pigment - melanin. But an acquired form of photophobia can occur due to certain diseases.

The sooner you start treating them, the higher the likelihood that the unpleasant symptoms will leave you.

Akrodynia

This pathological process can be recognized by the presence of characteristic stickiness of the feet and palms, increased blood pressure, hyperhidrosis, poor appetite and photophobia. If treatment is not started in time, it can be fatal.

Motor nerve palsy

In the presence of this disease, the upper eyelid droops, the pupil dilates, and the inability to adapt to changes in light conditions occurs. For this reason, photophobia very often develops in adults and children.

Endocrine ophthalmopathy

This is an autoimmune process that is formed due to pathologies of the thyroid gland. The patient is bothered by the sensation of the presence of a foreign body, as well as the fear of light.

Migraine

This is a pathological process, the cause of which is the activation of the vessels supplying blood trigeminal nerve. It can be recognized by symptoms such as severe headache, nausea, fear of sound and light.

Meningitis

Accompanied by inflammation of the membranes of the brain. Occurs due to an infection that could penetrate by drip, through blood and contact.

Encephalitis

This inflammatory process, occurring in the brain. It occurs due to penetration pathogenic microorganisms and an allergic component. The main symptoms of the pathological process include pain in the head, focal signs and impaired consciousness. The development of photophobia is the result of irritation of the membranes of the brain.

Stroke

This disease leads to disruption of the blood supply to the brain in a separate area. A stroke also occurs due to a blockage of a vessel supplying the brain or a hematoma, which puts pressure on it. In the latter case, the stroke is called hemorrhagic. It is for him that the development of photophobia is characteristic.

The clinical picture and diseases leading to photophobia in children are similar, but the pathological process can be supplemented by symptoms such as fever, runny nose, and cough.

Diagnostic methods

To detect photophobia, the doctor must first examine all the symptoms that bother the patient, and then understand the cause of their occurrence.

Fear of light can be determined by the following symptoms:

• when pressing on the eyeballs, pain occurs;
• tearfulness, which becomes permanent;
• the patient squints and twitches his eyelids all the time;
• There are frequent and regular pains in the head.

There are situations when a person begins to have difficulty oriented in space and experiences temporary short-term loss of vision.

To detect the cause of the pathological process and draw up an effective treatment regimen, the patient may be prescribed the following diagnostic methods:

• Brain CT and electroencephalogram – can detect serious chronic disorders;
• diagnostics using a slit lamp;
• collection of cerebrospinal fluid.

Only after undergoing a thorough examination and diagnosis will the doctor be able to draw up the correct and effective scheme therapy.

Prevention

You can avoid unpleasant symptoms and long-term treatment if you take care of prevention in advance. Thanks to it, you can reduce unpleasant symptoms from bright light, prevent the development of redness and irritation of the mucous membrane of the visual organ.

There are situations when the development of photophobia is in no way connected with diseases and disorders of the visual organs. Then you just need to buy sunglasses and use them on a bright sunny day. You need to buy glasses that will have protective properties, such as UV rays.

If the development of photophobia is associated with taking certain medications, then it is worth consulting with a doctor to review the treatment and prescribe other medications.

An excellent prevention of photophobia is the use of eye drops with an antiseptic effect. At the same time, choose only those drugs that can relieve the inflammatory process and also soothe the mucous membrane of the eye.

Be sure to use contact lenses or glasses that will not let in sunlight. You should also avoid bright light sources. If you follow the recommendations presented, this will make life easier and reduce unpleasant symptoms for people with photophobia.

This article will tell you why the white of the eye is yellow.

Video

conclusions

Fear of light is not a disease, but only a symptom. It occurs due to the influence of various pathological processes and disturbances in the functioning of the visual organs. Photophobia can be recognized by symptoms such as redness of the eyes, enlarged pupils, and frequent blinking. To relieve unpleasant symptoms, you need to wear sunglasses that can protect from UV rays, and also use medications to relieve pain, relieve inflammation and redness.

The information on the site is presented for informational purposes; be sure to consult an ophthalmologist.

What diseases cause photophobia?

Photophobia is a disorder in which a person experiences increased sensitivity to bright light. Another name is photophobia. The cause can be many diseases of the organs of vision. Scientists have found that people with light eye color are more likely to be affected by photophobia. IN advanced cases There is complete intolerance to light. What diseases cause photophobia?

What is photophobia?

Photophobia - symptoms. With photophobia, a person reacts painfully to bright light sources: there is acute pain in the eyes, redness, irritation of the mucous membrane, a desire to squint, to turn away from the light source. Headache is a symptom accompanying photophobia. The thing is that the nerve endings of the retina have oversensitivity, therefore, at the slightest disturbance in the functions of the retina, photophobia of the eyes may occur.

Photophobia of the eyes - causes:

• Inflammatory diseases - conjunctivitis, keratitis. In this case, the eye tries to protect itself and maintain clarity of vision.
• Various eye injuries - sunburn, incorrectly selected lenses or glasses, curvature and ulcers of the cornea, retinal detachment.
• Heredity.
• Congenital differences in the structure of the eyes and body (albinos).
• Light eye color (the amount of pigment that protects the retina from light is very small).
• Various nervous diseases(meningitis, frequent migraines).
• Infectious diseases (measles, rabies, rubella).
• Poisoning by various toxic substances(mercury).

Reasons also include adverse reactions to medical supplies(Belladonna, furosemide, tetracycline, doxycycline, quinine). Under the influence of drugs that constrict the pupil, the retina is exposed to direct sunlight. Entry of a foreign body into the retina of the eye. In this case, photophobia is observed only in one eye. Environmental factors - excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation on the eyes (looking at the sun or welding). Spending a long time in front of the monitor, fatigue and overwork, frequent depression and stress.

Photophobia is a symptom of the disease

Heliophobia is a fear of sunlight, a mental illness that has nothing to do with eye function. Fear of sunlight is usually associated with fear of other diseases. For example, such as skin cancer, sunburn, eye diseases that cause photophobia. Another similar disease is Gunther's disease. In this case, photophobia is just a symptom in which there is a fear of getting sunburn.

A child may develop photophobia due to insufficient melanin in the body, birth defects. Children often stare at welding for a long time, which contributes to the occurrence of a disease such as snow ophthalmia. Insomnia, stressful situations, loss of appetite, fatigue, tachycardia, occurrence increased sweating– all this affects the quality of the child’s vision.

Another cause of photophobia can be paralysis of the oculomotor nerve. With this disease, the child’s health is not impaired in any way, but the eyelid is drooping and the pupil is greatly dilated. Because of this, the development of photophobia begins.

Thyroid dysfunction is one of the causes of photophobia. At the first suspicion, consult an ophthalmologist. He will prescribe a number of procedures by which he will establish accurate diagnosis and treatment.

List of procedures to determine the source of the symptom:

• Ultrasound of the thyroid gland.
• Ophthalmic procedure.
• EEG (electroencephalography) is a procedure that examines brain activity.
• Test showing thyroid hormone levels.

How to avoid photophobia?

Before trying to get rid of photophobia on your own, consult your doctor. Photophobia is not a separate disease, but only a symptom. This is why it is necessary to consult an ophthalmologist. He will conduct a thorough examination, find out the cause of the symptom, make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

It will depend on the cause of photophobia. further treatment. For example, if any viral disease occurs, antiviral and antibacterial therapy. After final recovery, vision will return to normal.

However, there are small methods of self-prevention. It will help you reduce the occurrence discomfort away from bright light, to avoid redness and irritation of the mucous membrane of the eye. In some cases, photophobia has nothing to do with the appearance of diseases and disorders of the visual organs. In this case, you should buy dark sunglasses. Be sure to wear them on a bright sunny day. Glasses must have protective properties against ultraviolet rays.

If photophobia is caused by taking any medications, you should consult your doctor about changing medications.

Using antiseptic eye drops. The drops should have anti-inflammatory properties and soothe the mucous membrane of the eye. Wear special contact lenses or glasses that block sunlight. Avoid bright light sources. These small tips will help make life easier for people with photophobia.

Photophobia is not a disease, but just a symptom. Occurs due to the effects of various diseases, disorders in the function of the organs of vision. Symptoms of photophobia are redness of the eyes, dilated pupils, tearfulness, irritation of the mucous membrane, frequent blinking, avoidance of bright light sources. To alleviate the symptoms of photophobia, you need to purchase sunglasses with protection from direct ultraviolet rays, use antiseptic drugs for the eyes, aimed at relief pain and removal of inflammation and redness.

Photophobia is a symptom of many diseases

How photophobia manifests itself

Photophobia (another name is photophobia) is the fear of bright light, which is a symptom of many eye diseases.

Photophobia manifests itself as discomfort caused by any light source, such as the light of a lamp or the sun. The patient cannot look at the light, winces, feels pain and pain in the eyes, they begin to water, and the person involuntarily squints. Photophobia can also occur in conjunction with headaches. As you can see, this condition, despite the fact that photophobia is only a symptom, can cause a person a lot of unpleasant sensations. One of the manifestations may be, for example, a fear of being photographed.

It is believed that people with light eyes have more pronounced sensitivity to light, so this phobia manifests itself more often in them. Sometimes patients who have been diagnosed with this phobia cannot tolerate bright light, and in some it comes to the point of intolerance to any light at all.

However, photophobia should not be confused with a reaction to light brightness that is too bright for a person’s eyes, which normally manifests itself as deterioration of vision and a feeling of blindness. Photophobia manifests itself in light of normal brightness - for example, such brightness is created on the surface of a sheet of paper by a 60-watt light bulb.

This fear in its manifestations resembles some other diseases with similar symptoms, such as heliophobia (fear of sunlight) or Gunther's disease (porphyria). But in the case of, for example, Gunther's disease, photophobia is only one of the symptoms, and is caused by the fear of sunburn, which inevitably appears when the skin of a patient with Gunther's disease comes into contact with the sun.

So, photophobia is not an independent disease, but a symptom, the causes of which are pathological processes that can occur both in the eyes and in other organs and systems of the human body. Such a symptom should be taken seriously and if it is detected, immediately contact an ophthalmologist. This is important because Many of the diseases of which this phobia is a symptom are well treated only if detected early.

Causes

Fear of light is caused by excessive sensitivity of the nerve endings in the eye area to light. The reasons for its occurrence are varied. Thus, many of the inflammatory processes occurring in the front of the eye contribute to the manifestation of such symptoms. These are diseases or injuries of the cornea, keratitis, conjunctivitis, iritis - for all of them, photophobia is a manifestation of a protective reaction of the eye itself, which is trying to preserve vision in this way.

Also, the sensitivity of the eyes can be affected by taking medications - quinine, tetracycline, furosemide, doxycycline, belladonna and others. If photophobia is accompanied by pain in only one eye, this may mean that a foreign body has entered the cornea. This phobia can also be provoked by excessive ultraviolet radiation(if you look at the sun for a long time without taking your eyes away, or carry out welding work without special glasses - all these are reasons for excess ultraviolet radiation entering the eyes).

A tumor in the brain or meningitis, although not directly related to the eyes, can also provoke photophobia up to intolerance to normal light intensity.

In some people, photophobia accompanies the onset of a migraine or acute attack glaucoma. Photophobia can also develop in patients with measles, allergic rhinitis, rabies, rubella, and botulism. Congenital photophobia occurs in those people who, from birth, suffer from a deficiency or absence in the body of a pigment such as melanin (so-called albinos). Gunther's disease is also accompanied by the appearance of this phobia. Sometimes there have been cases where photophobia was caused by reasons such as depression, mercury poisoning, chronic fatigue or a disease such as botulism.

Nowadays, new causes that provoke photophobia are emerging - for example, staying in front of a computer monitor for too long or wearing contact lenses for a long time, especially if they were chosen incorrectly.

How to cure photophobia

To spend effective treatment, you need to determine the underlying disease that provokes photophobia. Depending on what contributed to the increased sensitivity of the eyes to light - glaucoma, migraine, Gunther's disease, rhinitis - the doctor will prescribe necessary treatment, after which photophobia will disappear on its own. Also, while treatment is taking place, certain rules must be followed to make the patient’s life easier:

• on a sunny day you cannot go outside without sunglasses purchased from a specialized store, which must have 100% UV protection;
• if photophobia is triggered by taking a certain medication, you need to consult your doctor to see if it is possible to treat with another drug;
• if photophobia is temporary and caused by a slight inflammation of the eyes, it is treated using eye drops with antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and moisturizing components.

Congenital photophobia, as well as cases in which it is not possible for some reason to eliminate the disease that provokes photophobia, require constant wearing sunglasses or special contact lenses that let in less light. All this will help a patient with photophobia to reduce discomfort and lead normal life– stop being afraid to turn on the light, go outside, or take pictures.

The main thing to remember is to put correct diagnosis and treatment should be prescribed by a qualified ophthalmologist.

Photophobia of the eyes - causes that not everyone knows about

Photophobia is an abnormal intolerance by the visual organs of artificial or natural light, under the influence of which discomfort occurs. The causes of photophobia of the eyes can be different and may be accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms.

Why do the eyes react painfully to light?

Other name this phenomenon– photophobia. Hypersensitivity to light, its fear is especially acute under the influence of bright light sources, and in twilight or dark conditions, discomfort in the eyes is often less. The main manifestation of the pathological condition in question is the reflexive closing of the eyelids and the desire to cover the eyes with hands from the light. There is also often pain in the eyes, advanced education tear fluid, a feeling of “sand” in the eyes, which may indicate ophthalmological pathologies.

When asking why photophobia occurs, a symptom of what disease it could be, one should consider possible reasons not just eye diseases. 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 by-effect when taking certain medications (for example, furosemide, tetracycline). These reasons may indicate additional manifestations: headache, nausea, fever, etc.

A short-term increased sensitivity of the visual organs, which occurs as a result of prolonged stay in a room with low 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, or working at a computer monitor. If a symptom occurs frequently and does not go away for a long time, this should alert you.

Psychosomatics of photophobia

Sometimes fear of light is a neuropsychological disorder in which a person has a panicky fear of sunlight. This deviation is called heliophobia and is accompanied by the appearance of the following symptoms while exposed to open sunlight:

• increasing anxiety;
• the desire to hide in a safe place, to escape;
• trembling throughout the body;
• weakness;
• dizziness;
• increased heart rate;
• loss of consciousness.

Heliophobia forces a person to limit his time outdoors, narrow his social circle, and make it difficult to learn and find employment. Due to isolation, it is not only psychological condition, 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 teeth and the skeletal system.

Fear of light during a cold

For viral and bacterial diseases respiratory system, accompanied by an increase in body temperature, photophobia of the eyes is often observed, especially when looking directly towards the light rays. The symptom is caused by intoxication of the body, associated with the proliferation of pathogenic microbes and the penetration of their waste products into the blood, and from there into the blood. muscle tissue, including eye ones. In addition, the patient experiences redness of the eyeballs, burning sensation in the eyes, and pain when moving the eyes.

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

Photophobia with meningitis

With this serious illness, like meningitis, occurs infectious inflammation membranes of the brain and spinal cord. Photophobia and headache, intolerance to loud sounds, a sharp rise in body temperature, vomiting, and a rash on the body are the main symptoms of the disease. Increases in patients intracranial pressure, brain nerves and eye vessels may be affected. Due to the rapid current and dangerous complications Patients with meningitis require immediate hospitalization.

Photophobia with measles

Adults rarely get measles, but once infected, the disease is severe, often with complications. This viral pathology is certainly accompanied by symptoms such as photophobia and lacrimation. Along with them, there are other characteristic manifestations: sudden deterioration of the condition, severe weakness, increased body temperature, 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 – cataracts

Cataract disease, which occurs in many older women, is characterized by a decrease in the transparency of the eye lens, partial or complete clouding of it. The main manifestation of this pathology is the appearance of blurred vision, in which objects are seen with blurred contours and look as if placed behind foggy glass. Often objects appear double before the eyes and color perception changes.

In many cases, this disease causes increased sensitivity to light, with photophobia increasing in the evening, and vision in the dark is significantly reduced. In addition, it is typical to see rainbow halos around light sources - lanterns, lamps. This is due to the fact that light rays, reaching the clouded lens, are scattered 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 visual organs, accompanied by increased intraocular pressure due to impaired fluid outflow. As a result, pathological changes develop in the ocular structures, visual acuity decreases, and the optic nerve and retina are damaged. In adult patients, photophobia, the causes of which are associated with a type of this pathology - angle-closure glaucoma, is accompanied by symptoms such as eye pain, headache, and nausea.

How to get rid of photophobia?

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

• wearing sunglasses, preferably with brown filters;
• limiting watching TV, staying at the computer;
• if the symptom occurs in paroxysms, you should be in a darkened room at this time.

Drops for photophobia of eyes

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

• antibacterial (antiseptic) – Levomycetin, Tobradex;
• anti-inflammatory (hormonal and non-hormonal) – Dexamethasone, Indocollir;
• moisturizing – Oxial, Cationorm;
• vasoconstrictors – Okumetil, Vizin.

In some cases, along with treatment with eye medications, it is recommended to perform gymnastics and eye massage. If, after using the drops prescribed by the doctor, photophobia does not disappear or decrease within 3-5 days, the treatment requires adjustment. Repeated and additional diagnostic measures may be required.

Treatment of photophobia of the eyes with folk remedies

With your doctor's permission, you can try to reduce your fear of bright lights by 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.

Preparation and use:

1. Pour water over the herb and bring to a boil.
2. Leave for three hours.
3. Strain.
4. Place 3 drops in each eye before bedtime.

Copying information is permitted only with a direct and indexed link to the source

Photophobia (photophobia) in children is manifested by strong sensitivity of the eyes to daylight or artificial light. When light hits the retina of the eye, it occurs unpleasant feeling burning sensation, which leads to a defensive reaction - frequent blinking and squinting. This is a normal reaction of any person when leaving a dark room into the light, or when the power is suddenly turned on. But if a child constantly experiences discomfort in daylight, then you should be wary.

Reasons may be:

• Psychological stress, stress, fatigue, lack of sleep;
• Pathologies of acquired and congenital nature;
• Taking medications, often provoked by antibiotics - doxycycline, tetracycline and diuretics - furosemide;
• Heavy strain on the eyes when a child sits at the computer for a long time and often;
• Wearing clothes that are incorrectly selected;
• Tumors, traumatic injuries eyes, ingress of foreign bodies.

The primary cause of photophobia will be congenital. A child with this pathology has no or low amounts of melanin - the disease is called albinism. Photophobia can develop when various diseases eye - iritis.

If a child has acrodynia, the symptoms of photophobia will be pronounced. Acrodynia is a disease of the nervous system in which the following symptoms appear: the feet and hands turn pink and become sticky due to profuse sweating. The child becomes sensitive to bright light. The next disease in which we observe symptoms of photophobia is endocrine ophthalmopathy. Autoimmune type disease.

The causes of the disease are pathologies of the thyroid gland. The child is observed, he complains of an imaginary foreign body that interferes with looking, he is afraid to look at the light.

In case of injury or previous infectious diseases, paralysis of the motor nerve may develop. The symptoms of this disease are easy to recognize: the upper eyelid is drooping and the eye looks to the side, while the pupil is dilated and does not react to light, so a reaction to light occurs.

If photophobia is a concern on both sides, then we can state the fact of the cause of common diseases, for example, measles or, moreover, with these diseases the temperature rises. If there are no other visible symptoms, then be wary, because in children such diseases can begin with these symptoms.

Conjunctivitis occurs frequently in children. The disease can be viral, bacterial or allergic.

Itching, burning, tearing, discharge from the eyes and photophobia are symptoms of the disease. With conjunctivitis, the body temperature may not rise, but more often, if this is a viral complication, then the temperature will be. In some cases, photophobia occurs because the child has been looking at the sun for a long time; bright sunlight affects the membranes of the eyes, resulting in this disease. There is snow ophthalmia, when snow reflects ultraviolet rays into the eyes and provokes the development of photophobia. In northern countries where there is snow, there are many children who suffer from this disease.

Symptoms

The symptoms of photophobia are:

• Pain in the eyes;
• Tearing;
• Forced squinting;
• Headache.

Diagnostics

If a child complains of discomfort in the light, a mandatory consultation with a doctor is necessary. Don’t wait for the disease to develop; you need to identify the causes, diagnose it, and prescribe treatment. An ophthalmologist and a neurologist will help you diagnose the disease. They will examine the child’s fundus, take a scraping from the cornea of ​​the eye, perform an ophthalmoscopy, and examine the cerebrospinal fluid. The neurologist will prescribe a CT or MRI, ultrasound of the thyroid gland. After the disease has been diagnosed and the causes of the disease have been identified, treatment is prescribed.

• Interesting read:

The essence of treatment will be to eliminate the disease that caused photophobia.

If it is conjunctivitis, the doctor will determine what type it is - allergic, viral or adenoviral. Depending on the type of disease, drops, antiviral or immunostimulating drugs are prescribed.

If this is acrodynia, then the doctor will primarily prescribe B vitamins, anticholinergic drugs, sedatives and antihistamines. If photophobia is associated with taking any medications, then the doctor will select their analogs that will not cause a reaction to sensitivity to light. If the disease turns out to be congenital, the specialist will prescribe wearing lenses, they will soften the reaction to light.

The disease of photophobia in a child is eliminated when the underlying disease is eliminated.

• You might be interested in:

Myths about photophobia

Photophobia is believed to lead to blindness. This is wrong! The disease can cause decreased vision in rare cases, but you cannot go blind due to photophobia. They say that with an acute lack of pigment, the eyes will not be affected. With the congenital disease albinism, it is the eyes that suffer and such people develop photophobia. They wear dark glasses.

Prevention

Preventive measures that will help prevent diseases that cause a phobia of light in children, and some measures will reduce discomfort and remove the causes of reactions to light:

• Children are not recommended to sit for a long time; this affects the health of their eyes, memory and attention. Rest and normal sleep will help avoid eye strain;
• Taking a seasonal vitamin complex will prevent respiratory diseases;
• A balanced diet and daily walks in the fresh air will increase the body’s resistance to infections and strengthen the immune system;
• Teach your child to maintain personal hygiene, use a separate towel, separate dishes - this will prevent conjunctivitis and acute respiratory infections
• Teach how to do eye exercises while reading a book, writing, embroidering or drawing.

• Interesting read:

A baby who remembers prevention will not be afraid of light and will be able to remain healthy.

Increased sensitivity of the eyes to light is the main characteristic of a disease such as photophobia in children. The causes of this disease may be due to pathology of the brain, eyes, infectious diseases and toxic lesions.

Most often, isolated photophobia does not occur. It is usually combined with headache, fever, nausea, bowel dysfunction, abdominal pain and other symptoms.

Causes of increased eye sensitivity to light

Photophobia in children can develop in the following situations:

Photophobia of the eyes during an infectious-inflammatory process in the anterior chambers of the organ of vision occurs as defensive reaction to bright light. Associated symptoms:

• Tearing.
• Blepharospasm is an involuntary contraction of the muscles around the eye, accompanied by persistent spasmodic closing of the eyelids.
• Discharge from the eye.
• Pain when pressing on the eyeball.
• Inflammatory reactions are accompanied by an increase in temperature.
• Allergic processes are associated with an allergen and appear at certain times of the year.
• Photophobia can develop from exposure to a foreign body, burns from irritating substances, and corneal erosion. In this situation, there is always a connection with the impact of a foreign body on the organ of vision. The temperature does not increase. All changes are purely local in nature.

The above symptoms require immediate appeal to an ophthalmologist, prescribing adequate treatment, removing a foreign body if necessary.

A congenital disease of photophobia in a child, such as albinism, is noticeable from birth. In this case, you need to use glasses with different sun filters.

Partial or complete absence of the iris - aniridia, is often congenital pathology in a child or develops as a result of injury. Related changes:

• Clouding of the cornea and lens.
• Underdeveloped retina.
• Nystagmus.
• Decreased visual acuity.

Damage to the central nervous system

With brain tumors or injuries, it develops meningeal syndrome, which is characterized by headache, nausea, vomiting and direct photophobia.

In case of injuries, this pathology is not difficult to diagnose, since there is a history of injury.

Please note: following features associated symptoms:

The headache is accompanied by nausea. Against the background of a headache, vomiting develops, bringing relief for a short time. The intensity of the headache may depend on the position of the head, for example, it intensifies in horizontal position, or tilting your head forward.

Photophobia manifests itself as an additional factor leading to increased headaches. The same agent that provokes cephalalgia is loud sound.

There are other symptoms of central nervous system damage, dizziness, nystagmus, paresis, paralysis, sensory disturbances and seizures.

Diagnose tumor process extremely difficult; at the slightest complaint the child should contact pediatric neurologist, undergo further examination, diagnose and treat the identified problem.

Infectious diseases

By seeing any of the symptoms of an infectious disease as early as possible, you can promptly diagnose the disease, begin treatment and avoid many adverse consequences.

The reasons why photophobia develops in children are associated with the toxic effect of waste products of microorganisms, products of their breakdown into nervous system and membranes of the brain.

Infectious diseases manifested by meningeal syndrome:

• meningitis;
• dysentery;
• listeriosis;
• brucellosis;
• anthrax;
• scarlet fever;
• sepsis.

Whatever the nature infection damage to the brain and its membranes indicates a generalization of the process, the mortality rate of which is very high.

Each infection has its own characteristic clinical picture, but intoxication-inflammatory, meningeal syndrome with photophobia are always the same type.

General cerebral symptoms increase rapidly, the level of consciousness is progressively impaired, from stupor to stupor or coma. Seizures or hallucinations develop.

Meningeal manifestations

A characteristic position is that the child lies on his side with his legs brought to his stomach and his head thrown back. An attempt to straighten the child’s body causes involuntary resistance and often ends in convulsions.

Specific symptoms in the form of tension in the neck muscles are checked by a doctor.

The headache intensifies and a pained expression appears on the face in bright light, loud sound and touching the child's skin.

Intoxication-inflammatory syndrome is characterized by elevated temperature up to 39–40 degrees, increased respiratory rate and heart rate. When the body becomes dehydrated, a drop in blood pressure develops – infectious-toxic shock.

When the infection generalizes, in addition to damage to the meningeal membranes, the following complications arise:

• endocarditis;
• myocarditis;
• vascular thrombosis;
• adrenal insufficiency.

Treatment

Sudden, sharp photophobia is a symptom that requires contacting a doctor, regardless of the cause, and treatment should be prescribed immediately.

The necessary further examination and treatment are prescribed, aimed at the following:

1. Elimination of the cause of the disease;
2. Antishock therapy according to indications;
3. Medicines are prescribed to eliminate and prevent cerebral edema.
4. Vital correction is being carried out important functions body, for example, breathing, cardiovascular activity.
5. Vitamins and drugs that improve cerebral blood flow, nootropics, symptomatic and immunocorrective agents are prescribed.

Prevention measures

Preventative steps will have a positive effect on reducing general discomfort, and sometimes even stop the development of inflammatory conditions. Basic preventive measures:

1. Regular exercise to train the eye muscles.
2. Using special sunglasses with UV filter inserts.
3. Protecting your eyes from bright and dangerous lighting, such as welding.
4. Use of drops for dry eye syndrome.
5. Follow normal hygiene measures.

Considering the rapidity of generalization of the infection and the development of symptoms that contribute to damage to the membranes of the brain and other organs, it is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible if photophobia occurs in a child.