Visual halos around lights: what pathologies to think of when the patient describes them?
Visual halos around lights is a visual disturbance characterised by the presence of glows or bright circles surrounding objects
Light sources, especially at night, can accentuate the phenomenon.
The symptom takes the form of a more or less intense glare (similar to the light diffused by headlights at night) that impedes vision.
The disorder can be linked to headache and migraine attacks, cataracts and eye diseases such as retinopathy and glaucoma.
What diseases can be associated with visual halos around lights?
The following diseases can be associated with visual halos around lights:
- Cataract
- Headache
- Migraine
- Glaucoma
- Optic neuritis
- Retinitis pigmentosa
- Retinoblastoma
- Diabetic retinopathy
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list and that it is always best to consult your doctor if the symptoms persist.
What are the remedies for visual halos around lights?
Light halos around lights always require a specialist visit to an ophthalmologist.
In intractable cases of headache and migraine attacks, it may be useful to protect the eyes from excessive light by wearing sunglasses or staying in a low light environment.
If the disorder is caused by the presence of a cataract, surgery will be necessary to remove the defective crystalline lens.
All other causes must be followed up promptly by the doctor because the symptom could be that of a pathology that can progressively lead to loss of sight.
When there are visual halos around lights, when should a doctor be consulted?
When the disorder is not related to a recurrent condition (such as headache and migraine), but appears suddenly and lasts for more than two or three days, it is necessary to contact a specialised centre or an ophthalmologist to investigate its origin.
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