Photophobia

Photophobia
SpecialtyOphthalmology
SymptomsLow tolerance to light on eyes, eye pain
Risk factorsAlbinism, corneal abrasion, ocular nerve damage
Treatmenttreatment of underlying cause, sunglasses

Photophobia is a medical symptom of abnormal intolerance to visual perception of light. As a medical symptom, photophobia is not a morbid fear or phobia, but an experience of discomfort or pain to the eyes due to light exposure or by presence of actual physical sensitivity of the eyes, though the term is sometimes additionally applied to abnormal or irrational fear of light, such as heliophobia. The term photophobia comes from Greek φῶς (phōs) 'light' and φόβος (phóbos) 'fear'.