What should you know about sun light sensitivity?

Bright sunlight may cause squinting, eye discomfort, watering, or a need to move into shade. Some people also experience headache or nausea. Irritation such as conjunctivitis can make light uncomfortable, while migraine can cause light sensitivity even when the eyes look normal. A sudden severe reaction with fever, stiff neck, confusion, or a severe headache is different and may signal meningitis or another emergency.

Use sunglasses that block ultraviolet light, a wide-brimmed hat, and shade outdoors. Reduce glare indoors and take breaks from bright screens. Do not rub painful eyes, share eye cosmetics, or use leftover prescription drops. Note whether symptoms affect one or both eyes, how quickly they began, and whether redness, discharge, headache, rash, or vision changes accompany them.

Seek urgent care for sudden vision loss, severe eye pain, an eye injury, a very red eye with nausea, or light sensitivity with fever, stiff neck, confusion, or a rapidly worsening headache. Arrange an assessment for persistent, recurrent, or one-sided symptoms, especially with blurred vision, discharge, or contact-lens use. An eye or medical clinician can identify the cause and choose suitable treatment.

Is the source more likely to be the eye, a migraine pattern, medicine, or another condition? Do I need an eye examination? Which changes in pain, vision, redness, or headache should prompt urgent care?