Photophobia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Sensitivity to light)
For physiological/behavioral property, see Photophobia (biology).
| Photophobia | |
|---|---|
| Classification and external resources | |
| ICD-10 | H53.1 |
| ICD-9 | 368.13 |
| DiseasesDB | 24599 |
| MedlinePlus | 003041 |
| MeSH | D020795 |
Photophobia is a symptom of excessive sensitivity to light and the aversion to sunlight or well-lit places. In ordinary medical terms photophobia is not a morbid fear, but an experience of discomfort or pain to the eyes due to light exposure.
Light sensitivity is usually due to too much light entering the eye, which causes over stimulation of the photoreceptors in the retina and subsequent excessive electric impulses to the optic nerve. This leads to a reflex aversion to light, and discomfort or pain. Too much light can enter the eye if it is damaged, such as with corneal abrasion and retinal damage, or if a pupil(s) is unable to normally constrict (seen with damage to the oculomotor nerve).
Patients with photophobia will avert their eyes from direct light (sunlight and room lights), or may seek the shelter of a dark room or wear sunglasses.
Contents |
[edit] Causes
Patients may develop photophobia as a result of several different medical conditions, related to the eye or the nervous system.
[edit]
Causes of photophobia relating directly to the eye itself include:
- Achromatopsia[1]
- Aniridia[2]
- Anticholinergic drugs may cause photophobia by paralyzing the iris sphincter muscle.
- Aphakia[3]
- Buphthalmos[2]
- Cataracts[2]
- Cone dystrophy[2]
- Congenital abnormalities of the eye[2]
- Viral conjunctivitis ("pink eye")[4]
- Corneal abrasion[2]
- Corneal dystrophy[2]
- Corneal ulcer[5]
- Disruption of the corneal epithelium, such as that caused by a corneal foreign body or keratitis [2]
- Ectopia lentis[2]
- Endophthalmitis[2]
- Eye trauma caused by disease, injury, or infection such as chalazion, episcleritis, glaucoma[2], keratoconus, or optic nerve hypoplasia
- Hydrophthalmos, or congenital glaucoma[2]
- Iritis[2]
- Optic neuritis[2]
- Pupillary dilation (naturally or chemically induced)[3]
- Retinal detachment
- Scarring of the cornea or sclera [2]
- Uveitis[2]
[edit]
Neurological causes for photophobia include:
- Ankylosing spondylitis[6]
- Autism spectrum disorders [7]
- Chiari malformation
- Dyslexia[8]
- Encephalitis[2]
- Meningitis[2]
- Subarachnoid haemorrhage[9]
- Tumor of the posterior cranial fossa[2]
[edit] Other causes
- Albinism[10]
- Ariboflavinosis[11]
- Benzodiazepines (long term use of or withdrawal from benzodiazepines)[12][13]
- Chemotherapy[2]
- Chikungunya[14]
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome[15]
- Cystinosis[2]
- Ehlers-Danlos syndrome[16]
- Hangover[17]
- Influenza[18]
- Infectious Mononucleosis[19]
- Magnesium deficiency
- Mercury poisoning[20]
- Migraine[21]
- Rabies[22]
- Tyrosinemia type II, also known as "Richner-Hanhart syndrome"[2]
[edit] See also
- Heliophobia, fear of sunlight
- Photosensitivity, the amount to which an object reacts upon receiving photons of light
- Erythropoietic protoporphyria, a disease manifesting itself with painful photosensitivity
- Photic sneeze reflex, a medical condition by which people exposed to bright light sneeze
- List of phobias
[edit] References
- ^ "Achromotopsoa". Scottish Sensory Centre. http://www.ssc.education.ed.ac.uk/resources/vi&multi/eyeconds/Achro.html. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Day, Susan (January 15, 1997). "P9: Photophobia". in Taylor, David. Paediatric Opthamalogy (2nd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 1034-1036. ISBN 9780865428317.
- ^ a b "Photophobia". Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. http://www.tsbvi.edu/Education/anomalies/Photophobia.htm. Retrieved December 11,2009.
- ^ "Conjunctivitis". Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec09/ch101/ch101c.html. Retrieved December 11,2009.
- ^ "Corneal ulcer". Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec09/ch102/ch102c.html. Retrieved December 11,2009.
- ^ "Ankylosing spondylitis". United States National Library of Medicine. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=ankylosingspondylitis. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
- ^ Fan X, Miles JH, Takahashi N, Yao G (2009). "Abnormal Transient Pupillary Light Reflex in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders". Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
- ^ "Light sensitivity - photophobia". Royal National Institute of Blind People. http://www.rnib.org.uk/EYEHEALTH/EYECONDITIONS/EYECONDITIONSDN/Pages/photophobia.aspx. Retrieved December 11,2009.
- ^ "Photophobia - Glossary Entry - Genetics Home Reference". United States National Library of Medicine. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/glossary=photophobia. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
- ^ "Albinism - MedicinePlus Medical Encyclopedia". United States National Library of Medicine. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001479.htm. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
- ^ Harris, Robert S.; Kenneth V. Thimann (February 11, 1943). Vitamins & Hormones, Volume 1. Academic Press. p. 88. ISBN 9780127098012.
- ^ Wakakura M, Tsubouchi T, Inouye J (March 2004). "Etizolam and benzodiazepine induced blepharospasm" (PDF). J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. 75 (3): 506–7. PMID 14966178. PMC 1738986. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1738986&blobtype=pdf.
- ^ Pelissolo A; Bisserbe JC (Mar-Apr 1994). "[Dependence on benzodiazepines. Clinical and biological aspects]". Encephale 20 (2): 147–57. PMID 7914165.
- ^ "A case of bilateral presumed chikungunya neuroretinitis". Indian Journal of Opthamalogy. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2684432/. Retrieved December 11,2009.
- ^ "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome". University of Virginia Health System. http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/uvahealth/adult_infectious/cfs.cfm. Retrieved December 11,2009.
- ^ Dr. Diana Driscoll, Ehlers-Danlos Eye Dr PDF
- ^ Sjaastad, Ottar; Bakketeig, Leiv S. (December 22, 2004). "Hangover headache: accompanying symptoms. Vågå study of headache epidemiology". The Journal of Headache and Pain (Springer Milan) 5 (4): 224-229. doi:. ISSN 1129-2369.
- ^ "Influenza Virus (Orthomyxovirus)". University of South Carolina School of Medicine. http://pathmicro.med.sc.edu/mhunt/flu.htm. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
- ^ Gauthier-Smith, P.C. (December 22, 2004). "Neurological complications of glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis)". Brain (Oxford University Press) 88 (2): 323-334.
- ^ "Epidemiologic Notes and Reports Elemental Mercury Poisoning in a Household -- Ohio, 1989". Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) 39 (25): 424-425. June 29, 1990. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00001652.htm.
- ^ Drummond, Peter D. (1986). A Quantitative Assessment of Photophobia in Migraine and Tension Headache. 26. doi:.
- ^ "Human Rabies -- Miami, 1994". Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) 43 (42). October 28, 1994. http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/publications/mmwr_4342.html.
