Photophobia: Treatment, Procedure, Cost and Side Effects

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Photophobia refers to a fear of light, but the condition does not literally refer to a person who is afraid of light. People suffering from photophobia experience physical pain when they are in a brightly lit area. For these people, going out in the sun can be excruciatingly painful.

Photophobia is essentially a symptom that shows up due to some underlying disorder. Migraine, dry eyes and swelling inside the eyes are common causes for photophobia. The conditions make the light receptors inside the eye hypersensitive to light, which tends to overload the nerves inside the brain when bright light enters the eyes.

There is no specific treatment for photophobia and the only way to treat the symptom is to treat the underlying condition that is causing the problem. Apart from migraines and dry eyes, certain brain conditions such as meningitis, supranuclear palsy, tumors and serious brain injury can also cause photophobia. Treating these conditions become vital in order to solve the photophobia issue.

Certain medications such as doxycycline, tetracycline, furosemide and quinine can cause photophobia as well. In such cases, stopping these medications can lead to a complete cure.

The treatment for photophobia lies in treating the underlying condition causing the symptom. For instance, if chronic migraines are causing the photophobia, the doctor will prescribe medication for controlling the pain and also controlling the frequency of these migraines. These drugs may help greatly in reducing photophobia as well.

Similarly, dry eyes can be treated by applying special eye-drops. This will cure the disorder as well as the photophobia symptom.

People suffering from mental conditions such as depression, anxiety and others can sometimes be extra sensitive to lights as well. Consult a psychiatrist with the issue and they may be able to provide additional medications to ease the pain from bright lights.

In some cases, opting for a pair of tinted glasses may help and protect your eye from bright lights. FL-41 sunglasses, which have rose-tinted lenses are known to help people deal with photophobia. However, some people experience greater photophobia once they start wearing such tinted glasses.

Do not avoid visiting a doctor as soon as you experience such an issue. The cause for the photophobia might be quite a simple condition that can be treated easily or it may be due to a medication that you are currently on.

People who experience extreme discomfort and pain in the eyes when in the presence of bright light indoors or sunlight outdoors are eligible to seek treatment for photophobia. If you are already aware that you have migraines or dry eyes, you can seek out a physician’s help to control the effects.

Patients who do not suffer from photophobia and do not suffer from any of the underlying conditions leading to the symptoms as well are not qualified for this treatment.

There are almost no side effects to the treatments for photophobia. In some case, the medication used to treat mental conditions leading to photophobia can assert some side effects. These effects include dry mouth, drowsiness or others. However, these are not directly related to the treatment for photophobia.

If the treatment is successful, there are no guidelines that the patients need to follow. However, in case of migraines or dry eyes, it is always best to use tinted glasses while going out in sunlight. This ensures that you do not undergo a relapse into further photophobia.

The time for recovery depends on the underlying condition causing the photophobia. While the treatment for dry eyes and migraine should take effect immediately, the photophobia caused by mental illnesses may be more difficult to treat and therefore, take longer.

While treating migraines and dry eyes should cost you no more than Rs. 500 to Rs. 700, the treatment for complex brain conditions and mental conditions may run into the thousands. Usually, photophobia treatment cost can be limited to Rs. 50,000.

Results may or may not be permanent. If the condition is caused due to dry eyes or migraines, it may come back if proper medication and care is not taken of the eyes. However, if the photophobia is caused due to meningitis or tumors in the brain, the condition can be rectified permanently.