Getting a VA Disability Rating for Light Sensitivity (Photophobia)

It’s nearly impossible to avoid light. You go outside; there’s the sun. You go inside; harsh fluorescent bulbs are casting down over you. You look at your phone or laptop; the bright LED screen shines at you. For people with photophobia, a severe sensitivity to light, navigating the light-filled world can be a challenge. For veterans, photophobia may be linked to other service-connected conditions that interfere with life and work.

If you experience photophobia that you suspect is linked to your military service, you may be eligible for VA compensation. Although veterans can’t get a photophobia VA rating, this post explains more about how the condition may help increase your VA rating.

What is photophobia?

In its literal Greek definition, photophobia is a fear of light. However, in the medical community, photophobia is a condition that causes an unusual sensitivity to light, which can lead to discomfort and pain. The sensitivity can range from lights appearing too bright to lights causing debilitating pain. 

There are several medical conditions connected to photophobia, including ocular conditions like corneal disease and neurological problems like meningitis. Even certain medications like sedatives and anti-anxiety medicine can cause photophobia.

The most common neurological disorder that causes photophobia is migraines.

Additionally, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are commonly associated with photophobia. TBIs are injuries that affect how the brain works, sometimes caused by bumps or blows to the head. TBIs cause “displacement, irritation, or injury” in the brain, which is likely why they cause headaches and photophobia.

Photophobia in veterans

Photophobia may be connected to military duty. Light sensitivity is the most commonly reported visual complication for post-war veterans. 

One study showed the connection between veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan with a neurological injury, like a TBI, and a higher likelihood of migraines, of which photophobia is a key symptom.

Photophobia VA rating

Photophobia does not have a diagnostic code. The only section of the Schedule of Ratings that specifically mentions photophobia is diagnostic code 6036 for corneal transplants, in which corneal transplant recipients may be entitled to a 10% rating after the procedure “if there is pain, photophobia, and glare sensitivity.”

So, as of now, veterans are not likely to be compensated for a photophobia diagnosis itself, nor will it be enough on its own to qualify a veteran for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU). However, photophobia can be a contributing factor to a higher rating for another condition.

If you are experiencing sensitivity to light, be sure to mention it in your disability benefits questionnaire (DBQ) and compensation and pension (C&P) exam. Common conditions in which photophobia may contribute to a higher rating include migraines and TBIs. Both TBIs and migraines require a medical nexus to connect the condition to military service.

---

---

Photophobia and migraines

Fits of photophobia may add to the severity of migraine attacks and contribute to more limitations in a veteran’s ability to work since they may need to stay in a dark place.

VA disability lawyer Cecilia Ton says some veterans with severe headaches report needing to lie down in a dark room until the headache goes away. Tracking this information in a symptom journal to present to your medical examiners may help with a higher VA disability rating for light sensitivity.

“I once had a client who kept a daily log of all of his migraines. He wrote down the dates that he had them, how long they last, and the symptoms they caused,” Ton said. “He submitted this daily log to the VA, and after considering his journal entries, he was ultimately granted a higher rating.”

Migraines and photophobia from migraines can be debilitating. How high a rating you receive for migraines depends on how frequent the prostrating migraine attacks are. 

The VA defines a prostrating migraine as one that causes “extreme exhaustion, powerlessness, debilitation or incapacitation with substantial inability to engage in ordinary activities.” Photophobia is potentially a reason why a migraine is prostrating.

Photophobia and TBIs (traumatic brain injuries)

U.S. military veterans are at risk of TBIs from explosions in combat and during training. According to the VA, TBIs are common among veterans who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. Nearly 500,000 military members from 2000 to 2023 were diagnosed with a TBI. About four out of every five TBI diagnoses were classified as mild TBIs, also known as a concussion.

TBIs can cause several issues in the short and long term of a person’s life, including headaches, light sensitivity, irritability, sleep disorders, memory issues, and depression. These problems can have a large impact on a veteran’s life.

Photophobia falls under the “subjective symptoms” facet in the rating for TBIs. That means if your photophobic symptoms impact your work, daily activities, or relationships, under diagnostic code 8045, photophobia may entitle someone to a 10% rating for a TBI without considering other potential symptoms or limitations. This may sound confusing, and that’s understandable. That’s why hiring a VA attorney can be helpful.

---

---

How Woods and Woods can help

If you have a service-connected condition that affects your ability to live and work comfortably, you deserve VA disability compensation. Contact Woods and Woods today for a free consultation to see how we can help. You only pay us if we win. 

Talk to Us About Your Claim: 
(812) 426-7200

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS