My child is very bothered by light

If you have noticed that your child has a strong reaction to sunlight or lamps, this can be a symptom of an ocular pathology. Our ophthalmologists explain the signs that should alert you.

A sensitivity that fades with the development of vision

Children are generally more sensitive to light than adults, because their lens is perfectly transparent and gradually becomes opaque during their life, a phenomenon commonly called cataract. 

At birth, they have a very low tolerance to light rays, which is why their eyes are only wide-open in the dark for the first few months. They will tend to close their eyelids when the brightness is too strong. In the weeks following their birth, the cones of the retina develop.

If you want to learn more about children’s vision development, please visit our dedicated page.

My child is bothered by light sources: is this normal?

Yes, it is therefore normal for your child to react and feel discomfort in the light. 

However, there are a few signs that should alert you. If your child seems more sensitive to light than his siblings or classmates, if he squints at each change of brightness, if he seems clumsy or less able to see than his classmates, it is then imperative to carry out an ophthalmological examination. This will ensure that he is not affected by retinal disease or ocular inflammation, for example.

Visual pathologies that can make your baby sensitive to light

If the abnormality persists, talk to your paediatrician. They can then refer you to an ophthalmologist who will carry out an eye examination. Indeed, certain eye diseases can cause these types of symptoms.

Among the problems that can cause discomfort in the light, we may mention:

• Cornea: dry eyes
• Conjunctiva: conjunctivitis, eye allergy
• Eyelids: blepharitis
• Inflammation of the eye: uveitis, retinoblastoma

Find out more about children’s visual disorders

You now know why your baby’s eyes may be sensitive to light. 

Have you noticed other symptoms such as headaches, visual fatigue, or a drooping eyelid in your child? Find the list of common eye symptoms.

And if you want to learn more about a visual disease such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, strabismus, conjunctivitis, congenital glaucoma or amblyopia, then visit the eye diseases pages.