Dry eyes and light sensitivity: what should you know?

Dryness may feel like grittiness, burning, stinging, fluctuating vision or a need to blink often. Glare can feel stronger when the eye surface is irritated. Screens, air conditioning, wind, smoke and contact lenses can aggravate symptoms.

Conjunctivitis can present with redness, watering, discharge and light sensitivity. Migraine may bring light sensitivity with headache, nausea or visual symptoms. Meningitis can present with severe headache, fever, neck stiffness, confusion or marked drowsiness; light sensitivity in that setting is an emergency concern. Light Sensitivity has further symptom-focused information.

Rest your eyes from close work, blink slowly and reduce glare without sitting in complete darkness. Keep fans and vents away from your face, use glasses outdoors, avoid smoke, and remove contact lenses when they feel irritating. Lubricating drops may help; a pharmacist can advise on a suitable option.

Do not use someone else’s eye drops or leftover antibiotic drops. Arrange an eye or GP assessment if the problem recurs, affects reading or driving, or continues despite reducing triggers. Record whether the sensitivity affects one or both eyes and whether pain, redness or discharge occurs.

Get urgent help for sudden vision change, severe eye pain, a very red eye, an injured eye, new weakness or confusion, or light sensitivity with severe headache, fever or neck stiffness. Seek prompt care if symptoms are rapidly worsening or one eye is much more affected.

Is the light sensitivity coming from dry-eye irritation, an eye infection or migraine? Should I stop contact lenses temporarily? Do I need an eye-surface or vision examination, and which symptoms should prompt urgent review?