Photophobia
Known as light sensitivity, it is a visual discomfort that occurs when a person reacts to exposure to light (natural or artificial), whether intense or regular.
This pathological intolerance to light stimulus in the eyeball responds to a difficulty in opening the eyes, keeping them open, in relatively bright environments.
It usually affects individuals with light-colored eyes (blue or green), with congenital factors of absence of pigmentation, regardless of gender and age. This sensitivity does not always occur naturally, there are cases that are associated with the result of an aversion to light and because of systemic diseases.
May be triggered due to eye inflammation, postoperative reactions, retinal changes, corneal lesions. The systemic ones occur by alterations of the central nervous system, responsible for causing the headache and migraine.
Drugs such as amphetamines, atropine, cocaine, cyclopentolate, oxidouridine, trifluridine, phenylephrine, scopolamine and tropicamide can cause photophobia.
RISK FACTORS:
- Dry eyes.
- Migraine.
- Blepharospasm.
- Pituitary Tumor.
- Meningitis.
- Botulism.
- Albinism.
- Uveitis or iritis.
- Retinal detachment.
- Cataract.
- Allergic conjunctivitis.
- Vit deficiency B2.
- Calazio.
- Glaucoma.
SIGNALS AND SYMPTONS:
- Stinging eyes.
- Excessive tearing.
- Discomfort very clearly.
- Eye bother after using computer screen.
- Need to close and squint constantly.
The diagnosis is made by the ophthalmologist who through history and physical examination will be able to detect the causes that are leading to photophobia, and may use complementary examinations or help from other specialists to conclude what is the primary factor and its treatment.
KNOW MORE:
- The smaller the pupil, the lower the chance of suffering from photophobia.
Depression, migraine, agoraphobia and bipolar disorder increase the propensity of the condition.
- The intensity of the disturbance varies with the weather season and is less evident in winter.
Foods rich in beta carotene such as vegetables and fruits include carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, peppers, oranges, apricots, cantaloupe and papaya are essential to natural treatment for light sensitivity.
- Vitamins B6, C, E, and lycopene have shown excellent results in the treatment of photosensitivity.
- Avoid artificial sweeteners like saccharin.
- Reduce alcohol consumption.
- An alternative is to control the amount of light entering the pupil.
- Wear sunglasses with dark lenses outdoors and indoors whenever possible, controlling the amount of ambient light.
- For dark outdoor lenses, it is very important that they have a good quality UV filter.
- For people who wear eye glasses, there are photochromic lenses.
- Glare, unlike photophobia, is the result of unwanted light reaching the visual field and is usually caused by the presence of one or more excessively bright light sources.
- May cause discomfort, reduced capacity or both.
In short, glare is the difficulty of seeing in the presence of bright light, such as direct or reflected sunlight, or in the presence of artificial light, such as headlights of a car at night.
- After reflecting on a flat horizontal surface, intense light is spread in horizontal beams that cause glare and discomfort to people.
