What should you know about itchy eyes and light sensitivity?

Itching can occur with conjunctivitis or surface irritation, while discomfort from bright light can accompany several eye and neurological conditions. Migraine may cause light sensitivity with headache or visual symptoms. Conjunctivitis may cause redness, watering and discharge. More serious inflammation or infection can also make light uncomfortable, especially when the eye hurts or vision is affected.

The symptom combination does not diagnose one condition. Note whether one or both eyes are involved, whether symptoms began suddenly, and whether there is headache, fever, discharge, injury or contact-lens use.

Rest your eyes in softer lighting, wear sunglasses outdoors, and avoid rubbing. Remove contact lenses and do not restart them until symptoms have settled and professional advice supports it. Do not share towels, eye makeup or drops, and wash hands frequently if redness or discharge is present.

Avoid using leftover prescription drops, especially steroid drops, without advice. Keep a note of pain, vision changes, headache, fever and the timing of symptoms so a clinician can judge how quickly you need assessment.

Seek same-day medical assessment for light sensitivity with moderate or severe eye pain, reduced or blurred vision, marked redness, a new unequal pupil, injury, or contact-lens use with pain. Get emergency help for sudden vision loss, severe headache with fever or stiff neck, confusion, weakness, or rapidly worsening symptoms.

Ask whether the eye surface is inflamed, whether migraine features are present, and whether you need an eye examination. Tell the clinician about contact lenses, recent injury, infection exposure, headache history and every eye product used.