¿Qué es la fotofobia?
La fotofobia es una condición visual comúnmente conocida como sensibilidad a la luz. Aunque el término implica "miedo" (fobia), de hecho es una respuesta física al exceso de luz que entra en el ojo a través de la pupila. Esta respuesta puede causar incomodidad ocular, dolor en el ojo y provocar la desviación de los ojos al enfrentarse a una luz intensa.
Hay una gran cantidad de condiciones médicas subyacentes o disparadores que pueden causar sensibilidad a la luz –una raspadura en la córnea, un daño en la retina, una infección ocular o enfermedad, incluso una reacción a un medicamento. Como muchas de las condiciones subyacentes que causan fotofobia pueden o no ser evidentes, siempre es bueno utilizar lentes que brinden una protección UV 100%, por si acaso.
La fotofobia se presenta con síntomas muy reales y puede evidenciar una amenaza grave para la salud visual. En caso de experimentar sensibilidad a la luz en forma repentina o gradual, no dude en consultar a su profesional de la salud visual.
Photophobia Symptoms:
When you have light sensitive eyes, the signals the retina sends to the brain are interpreted as pain or discomfort. The stronger the light source, the greater the discomfort.
Photophobia can cause mild, moderate or severe discomfort or pain when the eyes are exposed to natural or man-made light sources, outdoors or indoors. A burning or itching sensation, wincing or squinting in the presence of light, and excessive tear production are all symptoms of photophobia, and may all be symptoms of a larger problem at work within your eyes.
People with lighter-colored eyes may be more prone to photophobia in bright sunlight and sharp lighting conditions, as their natural eye color contains less pigment to diffuse harsh light.
Photophobia Diagnosis and Treatment:
When you have light sensitive eyes, that’s a probable indicator that it’s time to visit your eyecare professional.
Your photophobia may be a temporary or more permanent side-effect of an underlying condition. That’s why getting to the root-cause of photophobia is the best way of treating it. A complete eyecare exam can help. Be sure to be prepared with a list of all current medications you are taking, as these may be contributing factors.
The information seen here is for reference purposes only and is not intended as medical advice or to diagnose or prescribe any specific treatment(s). For all questions and concerns about your vision, eye health and potential eye problems, please consult an eyecare professional.
Special thanks to the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, for source material that aided in the creation of this website. Visit the NEI/NIH website.