Intercritical photophobia in the migrainous patient. Proposal for diagnostic criteria.

INTRODUCTION

Photophobia is a symptom of abnormal light intolerance without pain sensation that requires an anamnesis and an examination to diagnose an underlying etiology.

BASIC PROCEDURE: This article focuses on 30 clinical cases with isolated intense photophobia and on the review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this article is to establish diagnostic criteria for photophobia.

RESULTS

The etiology of photophobia appears to be at the level of the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells known as melanopsin cells and at a neurochemical level mediated by calcitonin-related peptide and the pituitary activating peptide cyclase.

CONCLUSION

The treatment of photophobia could consist of monoclonal antibodies against calcitonin-related peptide and/or pituitary activating peptide cyclase.