The Unmet Challenge of Diagnosing and Treating Photophobia

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Title The Unmet Challenge of Diagnosing and Treating Photophobia
Creator Thomas M. Buchanan; Kathleen B. Digre; Judith E. A. Warner; Bradley J. Katz
Affiliation Department of Neurology (TB, KBD, JEAW, BJK), University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, Utah; and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (KBD, JEAW, BJK), John A Moran Eye Center, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. Dr. Buchanan is now with the Neurology of Eastern Utah, Ashley Medical Group, Vernal, Utah
Abstract Background: Although patients with abnormal light sensitivity may present to an ophthalmologist or optometrist for the evaluation of photophobia, there are no previous reviews of the most common causes of this symptom. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients who presented to our eye center between 2001 and 2009 primarily for the evaluation of photophobia. We recorded demographics, ocular examination findings, and diagnoses of these patients. Results: Our population included 58 women and 53 men. The mean age at presentation to the clinic was 37 years (range 6 months-94 years). The most frequent cause of photophobia was migraine headache (53.7%), followed by dry eye syndrome (36.1), ocular trauma (8.2%), progressive supranuclear palsy (6.8%), and traumatic brain injury (4.1%). A significant proportion of patients (25.9%) left the clinic without a cause for their photophobia documented by the examining physician (11.7% of adults and 69.4% of children). Conclusions: Photophobia affects patients of all ages, and many patients are left without a specific diagnosis, indicating a significant knowledge gap among ophthalmologists and optometrists evaluating these patients.
Subject Traumatic Brain Injuries; Child; Dry Eye Syndromes; Infant; Migraine Disorders; Photophobia; Photophobia; Retrospective Studies
OCR Text Show
Date 2022-09
Date Digital 2022-09
References 1. Wu Y, Hallett M. Photophobia in neurologic disorders. Transl Neurodegener. 2017;6:26. 2. Katz BJ, Digre KB. Diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment of photophobia. Surv Ophthalmol. 2016;61:466-477. 3. Kawasaki A, Purvin VA. Photophobia as the presenting visual symptom of chiasmal compression. J Neuroophthalmol. 2002;22:3-8. 4. Digre KB, Brennan KC. Shedding light on photophobia. J Neuroophthalmol. 2012;32:68-81. 5. Burstein R, Noseda R, Fulton AB. Neurobiology of photophobia. J Neuroophthalmol. 2019;39:94-102.
Language eng
Format application/pdf
Type Text
Publication Type Journal Article
Source Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology, September 2022, Volume 42, Issue 3
Collection Neuro-Ophthalmology Virtual Education Library: Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology Archives: https://novel.utah.edu/jno/
Publisher Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins
Holding Institution Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, University of Utah
Rights Management © North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society
ARK ark:/87278/s61mgm61
Setname ehsl_novel_jno
ID 2344204
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s61mgm61
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