What Causes A Sensitivity To Light?

Uveitis

Light sensitivity may develop due to uveitis, a condition where an individual's uvea, the middle tissue layer of the eyewall, becomes inflamed. This condition can affect both or one of an individual's eyes. Uveitis is caused by an inflammatory disease, injury, autoimmune disorder, or an infection. Uveitis can cause a patient to experience eye redness, blurred vision, poor vision, eye pain, floaters, and sensitivity to light. Symptoms occur rapidly and progress quickly in affected individuals. Uveitis can cause certain parts of the eye to lose function temporarily. The parts of the eye responsible for detecting and absorbing light can become impaired because of the inflammation of eye tissues. When the eye is not able to properly adjust to brighter light conditions very well, the affected individual will experience increased sensitivity to light. As long as a patient receives treatment within a reasonable time, photophobia caused by uveitis is usually not permanent.

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Corneal Abrasion

A corneal abrasion is an injury that occurs in the eyes where the protective, transparent layer of the eye (the cornea) is scratched. Corneal abrasions are most commonly caused by contact with substances like dirt, wood shavings, contact lenses, dust, sand, metal particles, plant matter, or paper. Symptoms that occur in individuals who experience a corneal abrasion include gritty feeling in the eye, redness, headache, pain in the eye, tearing, and light sensitivity. An individual's cornea contains a high concentration of nerve cells, which causes it to be one of the most sensitive parts of the human body. A corneal abrasion induces the natural response of the patient's immune system, which causes inflammation in the affected eye. The combination of the injury itself, swelling, and inflammation can cause the eye to be dysfunctional in its ability to adjust to bright light. A corneal abrasion near the center of the eye can cause light rays to enter the eye abnormally, which also causes photophobia.

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