One Eye Sensitive to Light: What to Know

Photophobia means ordinary light feels uncomfortable or painful. A dry or scratched surface, contact-lens irritation, migraine, inflammation inside the eye, or an infection can produce this symptom. Conjunctivitis may cause light sensitivity when the surface is inflamed, but pronounced pain or impaired vision is a reason to look beyond a simple surface infection. The timing, redness, discharge, headache, nausea and clarity of vision help a clinician decide how quickly to examine the eye.

Rest the eye in gentle, dim lighting and wear sunglasses outdoors if they make you more comfortable. Do not rub the eye, use contact lenses, or apply someone else’s eye drops. If dust or another loose irritant entered the eye, rinse with clean water without forcing the eyelids open. Do not patch a painful eye unless an eye professional tells you to. Keep a note of onset and any associated redness, discharge or visual change.

Seek urgent eye assessment for sudden or severe light sensitivity, eye pain, blurred vision, a new cloudy spot, marked redness, unequal pupils, nausea with headache, or a recent injury or chemical splash. A contact-lens wearer with pain, redness and light sensitivity should remove the lens and obtain prompt medical advice. If symptoms are mild but continue, arrange an appointment rather than repeatedly self-treating.

Does the eye surface look scratched or inflamed? Could conjunctivitis or allergy explain the discomfort? Do I need a corneal and vision examination? Which symptoms should make me seek emergency care?