Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker.
Photosensitivity in humans
Light sensitivity or photosensitivity refers to a notable or increased reactivity to light. Apart from vision, human beings have many physiological and psychological responses to light. In rare individuals an atypical response may result in serious discomfort, disease, or injury. Some drugs have a photosensitizing effect. Properties of natural or artificial light that may abnormally affect people include:
- Timing of light (upset of normal circadian rhythms, seasonal affective disorder, sleep disorders)
- Intensity of light (photophobia, sunburn, skin cancer)[1][2][3]
- Wavelength of light (in lupus, urticaria)
- Rapid flickers in intensity of light may trigger or aggravate photosensitive epilepsy, epileptic seizure, or migraine headaches.[4]
Conditions that may include sensitivity to light include vertigo and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Controlled application of artificial light can be used in a program of light therapy to treat some disorders.
- ^ Guide to Photophobia/Light Sensitivity, axonoptics.com. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
- ^ Lightmare, lightmare.org. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
- ^ "Blinded by Brighter Headlights? It’s Not Your Imagination.", The New York Times, 5 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- ^ Light and Sensitivity, headaches.org. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
Previous Page Next Page
