[38F] Experiencing halos, light sensitivity, and lightheadedness

Patient Description

A 38-year-old female reports experiencing halos around objects in her vision, sensitivity to light, and episodes of lightheadedness, particularly when getting up, over the past few days. The halos are brief but recurrent throughout the day and are exacerbated by reading, concentrating, or exposure to light. Closing her eyes seems to provide relief. She describes her light sensitivity as annoying and similar to what she has experienced in the past with migraines, although she does not report any severe headaches or migraines currently. There is no history of severe eye pain, dryness, sudden changes in vision, such as blurriness or vision loss. The patient's medical history is unremarkable with no known chronic illnesses or allergies to medications, and she is currently only taking Pepcid.

Arora's Assessment

What might be happening

Based on the information you've provided, possible explanations for your symptoms include:

Migraine: Migraines can cause a variety of visual disturbances, including seeing halos around lights. They can also cause light sensitivity, lightheadedness, and nausea. However, you mentioned that you have not experienced a severe headache, which is a common symptom of migraines.
- Treatment of migraines typically involves over-the-counter or prescription medications to relieve symptoms and prevent future attacks.
Dry eye syndrome: This condition can cause a variety of visual disturbances, including seeing halos around lights, and can also cause light sensitivity. However, you mentioned that you have not experienced eye dryness or pain, which are common symptoms of dry eye syndrome.
- Treatment of dry eye syndrome typically involves artificial tears, medications to reduce inflammation, and lifestyle changes.
Orthostatic hypotension: This condition, also known as postural hypotension, is characterized by a sudden drop in blood pressure when standing up from a sitting or lying position, which can cause lightheadedness. However, it does not typically cause visual disturbances or light sensitivity.
- Treatment of orthostatic hypotension typically involves lifestyle changes, such as standing up slowly and staying hydrated, and may involve medications in some cases.

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of all possible conditions that could explain your symptoms. It's also possible that you could be experiencing more than one condition at the same time.

What you can do

You should consult a healthcare professional about your symptoms as soon as possible. They can provide a formal assessment and order relevant tests if necessary. In the meantime, you can try the following to alleviate your symptoms:

Avoid bright lights and wear sunglasses when outside during the day.
Stand up slowly from a sitting or lying position to help prevent lightheadedness.
Stay hydrated and eat regular meals to help maintain your blood pressure.
Avoid triggers that you know can cause migraines, such as certain foods or stress.