Photophobia is a condition where the eyes feel pain or discomfort when they see bright light. Condition this is quite often occurs, and usually complaints will appear when you see sunlight or very bright lights.
Actually photophobia is not a disease, but a symptom of certain diseases, such as infection or irritation of the eye. Photophobia will be characterized by a sense of glare, more sensitive to light, and the eyes sometimes sting when they see light. This complaint can be accompanied by pain in the forehead and a reflex to close the eyes when seeing light. Photophobia can occur in one or both eyes.
Recognizing the Causes of Photophobia
Photophobia often occurs in people who have eye and nervous system disorders. This is because the emergence of photophobia is closely related to the nerve cells that receive light stimulation in the eye, and the central nervous system as a processor of that information.
Some of the eye disorders that can cause photophobia are:
- Dry eyes.
- Uveitis, which is inflammation of the uvea (middle layer of the eye).
- Iritis, which is inflammation of the iris (rainbow membrane).
- Keratitis, which is inflammation of the cornea.
- Conjunctivitis, which is inflammation of the conjunctiva (the membrane that lines the whites of the eyes and eyelids).
- Corneal abrasion, which is a scratch on the surface of the cornea.
- Cataract, which is clouding of the eye lens.
- Blepharospasm or eye twitching.
In addition to eye disorders, the following disorders of the nervous system can also cause photophobia:
- Meningitis, which is inflammation of the meninges (the protective lining of the brain and spinal cord).
- Supranuclear palsy, which is a brain disorder that interferes with body balance and eye movement.
- Tumors in the pituitary gland or pituitary.
In addition to certain medical conditions, photophobia can also be caused by the side effects of medications, such as quinine pills, furosemide, and antibiotics, as well as LASIK procedures (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis).
How to treat photophobia
Treatment for photophobia is to treat the cause and relieve the symptoms.
If photophobia is caused by a medical condition, such as dry eyes, migraines, conjunctivitis, or a corneal abrasion, your doctor will prescribe medication to treat the disease. Once the cause is treated, the photophobia will usually go away as well.
In addition, the doctor will also give drugs to relieve photophobia complaints. During treatment, you need to do the following things to speed up the recovery process:
- Use glasses when outdoors.
- Reduce or as much as possible avoid exposure to bright light.
- Do not use contact lenses because it will make the eyes more uncomfortable
- Avoid using make up in the eye area, because it can increase the risk of eye irritation.
- Use eye drops prescribed by your doctor regularly.
Photophobia is not a disease, but a symptom of a disease. The causes can vary. Therefore, if you feel more sensitive to light or easily glare, you should immediately consult a doctor so that the cause can be identified and given the appropriate treatment.
