Photophobia (light sensitivity) and phonophobia (noise sensitivity) are among the most commonly reported symptoms after a concussion or TBI, and they often surprise people who had no vision or hearing problems before the injury. The brain, not the eyes or ears, is the source of the issue.

After a brain injury, the nervous system can become dysregulated in ways that cause it to over-process sensory input. Under normal conditions, the brain filters and modulates incoming signals. When that filtering mechanism is disrupted:

• Ordinary light levels feel glaring or painful
• Background noise becomes difficult to filter out or tolerate
• Fluorescent lighting, screens, or crowded spaces can trigger headaches or dizziness
• Sensory overload accelerates fatigue and worsens other symptoms

These symptoms are not exaggerated or psychological — they reflect measurable changes in how the brain processes the environment. Oculomotor and vestibular assessments can identify disruptions in visual and sensory processing pathways, providing objective documentation of what the patient is experiencing.

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