New photophobia symptoms. Anyone else have these symptoms? what might be causing it, how can I stop it?

[Pavlovthecat]

I don't normally have trouble with sunlight, well of course when you first leave a darker place into bright light, takes a moment to adjust but this is much worse than that. I only noticed it a couple of days ago and everyone is telling me it is due to 'winter sun' low and bright, yes I know that happens but this is much worse than that even.

A couple of days ago, I left the house to take kids to the park, they skipped along, as soon as i walked out the light hurt my eyes and I could not physically keep them open. I had to look at the floor with my hands over my eyes to stop it. It did calm down but only as clouds went over and still it hurt.

And now, in my front room, I still have the bamboo blinds closed. the sun is peeking through and when I glance towards the window it really really hurts, and I cannot see. When I look away I cannot see anything for about a minute, it all looks white, with floaty bits, until I re-focus.

it is like when you look directly at the sun, that inability to see and then how it is when you look away, but this is with any kind of natural light. It seems ok with artificial light, but only if on low. Bright lights indoors hurt too.

It is not a migraine.

I am taking the following medication, wondered if it might be this, one of them is new to the mix (3weeks in): amitriptyline 25mg, tramadol 100mg x 2 daily (slow release) 50mg diclofenac x 3 daily, 100mg x 4 daily (not always that much as i forget!) 20mg omeprazole.

Can the meds be causing it? It is not as simple as wearing sunglasses as I wear glasses normally, so I can get contact lenses but it won't sort problem now. I have to go out and drive in about 45 mins!

Could be iritis or uveitis. I had it last year and at its worst it was like someone stabbing me in the head every time any sort of light fell on my eyes. If it's still like that tomorrow I'd go and see your GP.

Sounds like iritis, which I've had. See your doctor straight away. When I had it was sent directly to the eye clinic at the local hospital and given eyedrops. I was told that any recurrence of the symptoms meant I should immediately go the doctor.

Not to wind you up, but it can badly damage your eye if not seen to straight away.

ok thank you ladies, it is better today, but not gone completely. However I can go into the light and just squint/hold my hands to ease it, over the last few days though it was physically impossible to go outside.

I will go look it up, and see the doctor either today or tomorrow if it stays like this.

ok so I don't think it is iritis, as I don't have red or inflamed/painful eyes to look at/touch, just ultra sensitive to the light.

The other one, uveitis sounds possible although again no redness and it seems to be both eyes rather than one. Interesting though that it talks about reoccurance of herpes zoster as a possible cause, as that is shingles isn't it? I ve have had shingles on my ear recently and possible several times before but never diagnoses (because I did not go to docs) and I had, this time neuralgia ocross one side of my face. Maybe it has affected the eye? I don't know. Seeing as it seems to have got a little better/not got worse, I will monitor. I have been to the gp too many times recently, would prefer not to go for yet another thing!

I didn't have any redness either and my eye was only a little sore to touch for a day or so. The sensitivty to light also improved after a day, but when I saw the eye specialist he still said I had raging iritis!

So although I get your reluctance to see your GP, I'd urge you to get it checked out. Like echt said, it can seriously damage your eyesight if left untreated!