It is estimated that 1 in 3 people in the UK suffer from dry eye. A common symptom of dry eye is photophobia, this means you experience a greater sensitivity to light, which can be particularly problematic during the summer months. A paper published in the Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology concluded that dry eye disease was one of the most common reasons for photophobia. In fact dry eye was second only to migraines as the reason for this annoying and debilitating symptom.
But why does this happen and what can you do about it? Read on to learn more from Dry Eye Zone.
Why do dry eyes become photophobic
As well as lubricating, nourishing and protecting the surface of your eyes your tears also play a role in focusing light. Dry eye is strongly linked with unstable vision. i.e. a blurring between blinks. This is because the loss in tear quantity and quality means light is not being focused as it should, instead of being a smooth optical surface the irregularity can result in a scattering of light causing glare. For some people the impact of this light scattering means an intense, sometimes painful, reaction to light.
The tears also protect the nerve endings from light irritation, some studies have pointed to the changes to the ocular surface, such as inflammation and extra salty tears, being a potential cause of nerve stimulation and light sensitivity. However, the exact mechanism for photophobia is not fully understood but is thought to be a combination of both physiological and neurological factors.
Why do you get photophobia happen all year long
It is not just sunlight which can trigger photophobia. The light from televisions, computers, phone screens and artificial lights can all have similar affects for dry eye sufferers. Because you can be effected in most environments the impact on sufferers can be profound, leading to changes in behaviour which impacts overall quality of life and emotional well-being.
How do you treat photophobia
There are reports that when dry eye sufferers do experience sensations of light sensitivity this may be linked to a more severe disease progression, because of this it is especially important to get the advice of an eye care professional. They will work with you to restore the natural balance of your ocular environment to break the dry eye viscous cycle. The specific treatment route will be dependent on the underlying causes of your dry eye. Understanding what type of dry eye you are suffering from is a critical first step in getting things under control.
The treatment may involve the use of dry eye drops, heat therapy, deep eyelid cleansing and massage. You can learn more about all these aspects of dry eye management at Dry Eye Zone, including new emerging treatments such as light therapy (IPL).
Will sun glasses help
There are reports that the use of sunglasses indoors is not recommended as it can make the situation worse when you leave the house. However, sunglasses do have an important role when outdoors. Sunglasses are particularly effective in helping dry eye if they have a wraparound design or wider ‘arms’ as they give a more effective barrier to the elements. Larger designs will work better than smaller ones for the same reason. Wearing your sunglasses more, even on a windy overcast day, will help give extra protection for your eyes.
You should also ask your eye care professional about the quality of lenses needed in sunglasses to protect your eyes from the damaging impact of sunlight. There is a British standard for sunglasses which you should look out for (BS EN ISO 12312-1) but your optician will be able to advise you.
There has also been some research into the use of tinted glasses which have produced some interesting results. During research the majority of those taking part reported positive results with the use of blue-, green-, red-, or purple-coloured filters. However, this was only a small study and more investigation was recommended.
Important advice
Although dry eye is a major cause of photophobia it is not the only one. If you are experiencing sensitivity to light then it is very important to seek the advice of an eye care professional.
You can find more information about the causes of dry eye and its management at Dry Eye Zone. And don’t forget to visit Dry Eye Zone and subscribe to the regular free information updates.
If you are experiencing dry eye symptoms then you should ask the advice of your eye care professional. Why not book your next eye examination with an independent optician today.
Sources:
Buchanan TM, Digre KB, Warner JEA, Katz BJ. The Unmet Challenge of Diagnosing and Treating Photophobia. J Neuroophthalmol. 2022 Sep 1;42(3):372-377. doi: 10.1097/WNO.0000000000001556. Epub 2022 Mar 25. PMID: 35427241.
Galor A, Levitt RC, Felix ER, Sarantopoulos CD. What can photophobia tell us about dry eye? Expert Rev Ophthalmol. 2016;11(5):321-324. doi: 10.1080/17469899.2016.1222905. Epub 2016 Aug 23. PMID: 28845186; PMCID: PMC5571866. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5571866/
Kalangara JP, Galor A, Levitt RC, et al. Characteristics of Ocular Pain Complaints in Patients With Idiopathic Dry Eye Symptoms. Eye & contact lens. 2016 [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26925537/
Tandon R, Vashist P, Gupta N, Gupta V, Sahay P, Deka D, Singh S, Vishwanath K, Murthy GVS. Association of dry eye disease and sun exposure in geographically diverse adult (≥40 years) populations of India: The SEED (sun exposure, environment and dry eye disease) study - Second report of the ICMR-EYE SEE study group. Ocul Surf. 2020 Oct;18(4):718-730. doi: 10.1016/j.jtos.2020.07.016. Epub 2020 Aug 9. PMID: 32783926.
D'Souza S, Annavajjhala S, Thakur P, Mullick R, Tejal SJ, Shetty N. Study of tear film optics and its impact on quality of vision. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2020 Dec;68(12):2899-2902. doi: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_2629_20. PMID: 33229666; PMCID: PMC7857002. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7857002/
Diel RJ, Mehra D, Kardon R, Buse DC, Moulton E, Galor A. Photophobia: shared pathophysiology underlying dry eye disease, migraine and traumatic brain injury leading to central neuroplasticity of the trigeminothalamic pathway. Br J Ophthalmol. 2021 Jun;105(6):751-760. doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2020-316417. Epub 2020 Jul 23. PMID: 32703784; PMCID: PMC8022288.
Clark J, Hasselfeld K, Bigsby K, Divine J. Colored Glasses to Mitigate Photophobia Symptoms Posttraumatic Brain Injury. J Athl Train. 2017 Aug;52(8):725-729. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-52.4.04. Epub 2017 Jun 26. PMID: 28650685; PMCID: PMC5561772. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5561772/
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