ever had or heard of photophobia?

[Bertha Venation]

Lord, I'd be in trouble if this were "fear of photographs;" I'm a shutterbug.

No, the medical definition (paraphrased) is oversensitivity to light.

More and more in the last few weeks, bright light has hurt my eyes. I have to turn the "bright" on my monitor all the way down and the "contrast" almost all the way down. Next time the light bulb man comes through the office I"m going to have him pull out 3/4ths of the fluorescent tubes out of the ceiling above my cube. I often wear my sunglasses at night because the light of oncoming headlights hurts -- and it blinds me.

Anyone else experience this? Advice (besides going to doc, which I plan to do ASAP)?

[LoZoccolo]

1. You have headaches too?

Migraines can do this, plus you get irritated by sound.

[Bertha Venation]

4. yes, but they're not migraines

I can't tell if the headaches are caused by the sensitivity -- although a bright, sudden stab does hurt like a mutha -- or if I just have headaches all the time all of a sudden.

Hell. <dialing doc's office>

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

5. I was gonna ask that too

I began getting occasional migraines a few years back and they are optical migraines...I actually have to go to the eye doc when they get bad as they can detach your retina since they are prompted by floaters in your eyes.

[PinkTiger]

2. I thought I had it....

I don't like to be in photos.

[amazona]

3. never experienced it

A friend was mildly light sensitive after Lasik but it went away in a few weeks. I guess you would know if you'd had any eye surgery recently though. I would get it checked out ASAP especially with it coming on with no obvious cause.

[demnan]

6. My mother can't stand strong light

but she has macular degeneration and has had cataracts removed on her eyes.

Any change in eyesight should be checked by an ophthalmologist. My friend was just diagnosed with cataracts and she's just 45 (she has juvenile diabetes).

On edit: An overindulgence of alcohol can also cause this.

[Bertha Venation]

9. I don't drink, but am obese

so I'm sure the doc will look into diabetes. :scared:

[Dogmudgeon]

7. Forever

It's very common, and may be genetic for some people. I'm possibly in this category. For instance, light therapy for depression makes any wintertime depression I have worse.

It's also brought on by certain medications and long-term illnesses.

St. John's Wort is notorious for inducing photophobia.

Usually, it's nothing that sunscreen and sunglasses can't take care of. Certain people are so photosensitive, though, that more aggressive treatment is needed.

--bkl
Talk to your Doctor™

[trof]

8. opthalmic migraine

I have them, and they don't usually progress to the headache stage.
Bright lights can bring them on.
Instead of "floaters" you get flashers...prism-like images in the peripheral vision.