Light Sensitivity

Light sensitivity is discomfort or pain from light that can arise from eye irritation, migraine, injury or less commonly a serious infection.

Sunlight, bright indoor lighting, screens or reflections may make you squint, close your eyes, tear up, or feel pain around the eyes or forehead. Some people notice blurred vision, redness, a gritty sensation, headache, nausea or a preference for dark rooms. It can affect one eye or both, and the timing after an eye injury, illness or headache is useful to record.

Get urgent medical help for light sensitivity with a severe headache, fever, stiff neck, confusion, rash, new weakness or repeated vomiting. Seek same-day eye assessment after an eye injury, chemical exposure, sudden vision loss, marked eye pain, a misshapen pupil, or pain with a red eye. Remove contact lenses if the eye becomes painful or red, but do not try to remove an embedded object yourself.

These causes are listed alphabetically, not by likelihood. Conjunctivitis may cause a red, irritated eye with discharge or grittiness, and light sensitivity can accompany the inflammation. A foreign body in the eye can scratch or irritate the surface and cause tearing, blinking and pain. Meningitis can present with light sensitivity alongside fever, headache and neck stiffness. Migraine commonly includes sensitivity to light during or around an attack. Dry eyes, contact-lens irritation, corneal inflammation and some medicines may also contribute.

A clinician will ask when the sensitivity began, whether it affects one eye or both, and whether you have headache, fever, discharge, altered vision, injury or contact-lens use. Eye assessment may include checking vision, pupil responses, eye movements and the eye surface with a special dye. Depending on the symptoms, you may need an eye specialist examination or assessment for a neurological or infectious cause.

Treatment focuses on the underlying problem. An irritated eye may need removal of an external particle by a professional, lubricating drops, or treatment for inflammation or infection after examination. Migraine care can include rest in a dim room, hydration, a personalised acute treatment plan and preventive care when attacks are disruptive. Suspected meningitis or a serious eye injury needs urgent hospital assessment. Avoid using someone else's eye drops or leftover antibiotic or steroid drops, as they can delay correct treatment or worsen some eye conditions.

Use sunglasses that block ultraviolet light outdoors and consider a brimmed hat in strong sun. Take regular visual breaks from close screen work, keep screens comfortably dim rather than glaring, and use suitable lubricating drops if advised for dry eyes. Wash hands before touching the eyes, avoid sharing eye cosmetics, and follow contact-lens cleaning and replacement instructions. Wear protective eyewear for dusty work, sport or chemical tasks.

Mention discharge, itching, eyelid swelling, a feeling that something is in the eye, double vision, halos around lights, headache, neck stiffness, nausea, fever or a recent head injury. Bring the names of eye drops and medicines you use, and say whether symptoms started after new contact lenses or a change in vision.

Persistent sensitivity can disrupt reading, driving, work and sleep, and ongoing avoidance of normal light may make daily activities harder. Untreated surface injury or inflammation can affect comfort and vision. A review is worthwhile when symptoms recur, a red eye does not settle, or your usual headache pattern changes.