If bright lights that others seem to tolerate well leave you covering your eyes out of fear that they will trigger yet another headache, then you likely have photophobia, which is a severe sensitivity to light. There are many underlying causes of this problem, and some are more medically problematic than others. However, you can treat your photophobia easily to greatly reduce or even eliminate your frequent migraine headaches. Two steps to take now that you know there is a term for your problem is figuring out what the cause may be and finding a solution to manage your light sensitivity.
Photophobia Causes
The first step to figuring out the possible cause of your photophobia is looking back to whether you have had only sporadic episodes of this light sensitivity or it has been a steady problem since it began.
Causes of short-term episodes of photophobia include:
If you had, or suspect you had, an eye infection or damage to your cornea that caused past episodes of light sensitivity, then visit your eye doctor next time you have an episode to see if you are having recurring infections that require treatment. If a medication you take periodically triggers your episodes, the you may have no choice other than to simply manage your episodes when they occur.
Chronic Photophobia can be caused by:
If you suspect you have a virus, then it is important to seek diagnosis or treatment. Photophobia caused by chronic inflammatory disease or light eye color can be managed by making lifestyle changes.
Light Sensitivity Treatment
First, if your light sensitivity is caused by eye infection or corneal damage caused by wearing contact lenses, then it is important to only wear eyeglasses and receive proper treatment to allow your eyes to heal. Once any infection or damage is gone, you can speak with your eye doctor about wearing contact lenses that are better for your sensitive eyes or improving your contact lens hygiene.
If you have photosensitivity that is caused by a chronic problem or disease, then an effective and easy treatment can be wearing a pair of light sensitive sunglasses at all times. These glasses darken as they are exposed to light and become clear again in dark rooms, so you can wear them at all times and not have to avoid going out during the day for fear of sunlight or a brightly lit room triggering a migraine.
Color-change sunglasses transition through many variants between clear and super-dark, so you can have just the right tint when you need it. Also, when shopping for color changing sunglasses specifically made for photophobia sufferers, you will find that you have many choices in lens colors. Some professionals believe that purple lenses are best at preventing migraines, but many migraine sufferers find that a different color may work best for them, such as brown or gray. It can be best to stick to brown or gray color-change lenses outside the home and experiment with various colors indoors to see if there are any that work better for you.
Photophobia that triggers migraines can be difficult to live with. Thankfully, there is an easy solution to help you manage your condition once you speak to your primary care doctor and eye doctor to rule out treatable medical conditions that may be causing your light sensitivity.
Share22 July 2015
I began wearing eyeglasses at a young age, but as a child and teenager, when it came time to choose a new pair every year after my annual eye exam, my parents always let me choose the style and then chose the lens coatings and other options for me before they ordered them. After I moved out on my own as an adult and went to my eye exam and picked out my glasses alone, I was so overwhelmed by all of my glasses options that I had to call my parents for advice! Since then, I have dedicated myself to learning all about eyeglasses, so I can make the best choices on my own without my parents help. I have learned a lot about them and want to share what I have learned with others on a blog! I hope I can help you make the best eyeglasses decision!
