Is bright light physically painful to you?
September 1, 2021 6:58 AM Subscribe
Bright glare causes me physical pain which I feel in and behind my eyeballs. This has always been the case and I figured it was this way for everyone, but recently it occurred to me that it might be a manifestation of sensory sensitivity associated with my being autistic. So let me do a quick MeFite survey: do you experience this? (Yes and no answers both welcome.)
Example: yesterday I happened to sit down on the couch straight in the path of the glare of the sun reflecting off a wood floor. It caused a big diffuse pain that seemed localized in my eyes and the upper front quarter of my head (sinuses area). The pain went away immediately when I moved out of the path of the glare (I then closed the blinds so I could sit on the couch in comfort). I experience the pain as long as the glare is in my field of view; I don't have to be looking directly at it (though looking directly at it feels worse).
I did some googling but everything I could find (which was "photophobia") seemed to address situations in which a person who previously did not experience pain from bright light suddenly develops the condition due to some underlying medical issue. Whereas I've always experienced this and just figured it was normal (despite always being the one person squinting like crazy in outdoor photographs...). This is not triggering a (lingering) headache, and it happens any time I'm exposed to bright glare (that is, I don't get it only when I already have a headache), and the pain stops as soon as the bright light is blocked (though my eyes tend to feel a bit achy and tired for a while afterward). I'm not looking for advice on how to ameliorate this (I've acquired a pair of sunglasses and I wear a sun-hat), I'm just looking for a sampling of others' internal experiences.
So let me do a highly-unscientific survey and ask: do you feel physical pain when bright light or glare enters your eyes? And if so, what's it like for you, and do you have any ideas why you experience light in this way?
Example: yesterday I happened to sit down on the couch straight in the path of the glare of the sun reflecting off a wood floor. It caused a big diffuse pain that seemed localized in my eyes and the upper front quarter of my head (sinuses area). The pain went away immediately when I moved out of the path of the glare (I then closed the blinds so I could sit on the couch in comfort). I experience the pain as long as the glare is in my field of view; I don't have to be looking directly at it (though looking directly at it feels worse).
I did some googling but everything I could find (which was "photophobia") seemed to address situations in which a person who previously did not experience pain from bright light suddenly develops the condition due to some underlying medical issue. Whereas I've always experienced this and just figured it was normal (despite always being the one person squinting like crazy in outdoor photographs...). This is not triggering a (lingering) headache, and it happens any time I'm exposed to bright glare (that is, I don't get it only when I already have a headache), and the pain stops as soon as the bright light is blocked (though my eyes tend to feel a bit achy and tired for a while afterward). I'm not looking for advice on how to ameliorate this (I've acquired a pair of sunglasses and I wear a sun-hat), I'm just looking for a sampling of others' internal experiences.
So let me do a highly-unscientific survey and ask: do you feel physical pain when bright light or glare enters your eyes? And if so, what's it like for you, and do you have any ideas why you experience light in this way?
No, no pain.
posted by knapah at 7:23 AM on September 1, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by knapah at 7:23 AM on September 1, 2021 [2 favorites]
When I'm having a migraine, yes. There are other symptoms, but a lot of times the eye pain is one of the first and lets me know that a migraine is coming.
posted by kevinbelt at 7:29 AM on September 1, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by kevinbelt at 7:29 AM on September 1, 2021 [3 favorites]
Yes, stabbing eye pain, and it's related to migraines for me.
posted by Dashy at 7:49 AM on September 1, 2021
posted by Dashy at 7:49 AM on September 1, 2021
Usually related to migraines but also happens if I'm overstimulated in other ways. I'm not a diagnosed neuroatypical person, but I've always had sensory issues.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 8:04 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by I claim sanctuary at 8:04 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
I have a burning sensation but without the feeling of heat. I avoid being in the sun. If my eyes get dazzled in the sunlight it takes about 10-20 minutes to be able to see well in shade or inside a building. I used to take the bulbs out of the overhead fluorescent fixture over my desk at work because they were too bright and made my eyes ache. Data point, yes autistic with sensory issues.
posted by a humble nudibranch at 8:06 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by a humble nudibranch at 8:06 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
Yes this happens to me. It is not associated with migraines for me. I am not autistic. I have spoken to eye doctors about this and they have told me I have sensitive eyes. I wear prescription sunglasses and a hat most of the time when I'm outside.
posted by ewok_academy at 8:09 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by ewok_academy at 8:09 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
Hey! I'm not autistic, but it takes me a very long, painful time to adjust to bright lights (which is why I'm the girl in sunglasses on a cloudy day). I've talked to my eye doctor and it's nothing serious it has something to do with the speed my pupils dilate
On preview, more or less what eowk-academy said.
posted by thivaia at 8:15 AM on September 1, 2021
On preview, more or less what eowk-academy said.
posted by thivaia at 8:15 AM on September 1, 2021
no, no pain for me. No history of migraines either.
posted by hydra77 at 8:46 AM on September 1, 2021
posted by hydra77 at 8:46 AM on September 1, 2021
Glare is a huge problem for me and super bright lights hurt my eyes. I always assumed it's because I have light-colored eyes and I need more sun protection than if they were darker but I am 100% making that up on my own.
posted by Medieval Maven at 8:59 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Medieval Maven at 8:59 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
Yes, I get this going from dark to light. I always thought it was from the muscles in my eyes contracting. I do also get migraines.
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 9:00 AM on September 1, 2021
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 9:00 AM on September 1, 2021
Yes, I feel physical pain when very bright light shines in my eyes. Not a stabbing pain, more like a throbbing ache. It lessens once my pupils adjust, but if the light is very bright it doesn’t completely go away.
I really thought everyone did! I’m fascinated by the “no” answers. If bright light isn’t painful, do you still use sunglasses and sun visors?
I do get occasional mild migraines and am possibly on the autism spectrum.
posted by mekily at 9:11 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
I really thought everyone did! I’m fascinated by the “no” answers. If bright light isn’t painful, do you still use sunglasses and sun visors?
I do get occasional mild migraines and am possibly on the autism spectrum.
posted by mekily at 9:11 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
I often feel bright light as a kind of pressure, and too much of it, or combined with other issues, it does lead to really bad headaches. Those tend to be centered in the mask area of my face and the back of my head.
posted by amtho at 9:12 AM on September 1, 2021
posted by amtho at 9:12 AM on September 1, 2021
I don't feel any physical pain at all from this. I am really not bothered by bright lights or glare which everyone I know thinks I'm weird for not liking to wear sunglasses but it's just not a priority for me & not worth the hassle just to make everything look brown for some reason.
I have also read about people experiencing physical pain from certain auditory experiences which I don't experience either.
posted by bleep at 9:14 AM on September 1, 2021
I have also read about people experiencing physical pain from certain auditory experiences which I don't experience either.
posted by bleep at 9:14 AM on September 1, 2021
I work the same way as bleep.
posted by flabdablet at 9:16 AM on September 1, 2021
posted by flabdablet at 9:16 AM on September 1, 2021
Sometimes? I feel like this not a simple yes/no for me.
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:21 AM on September 1, 2021
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:21 AM on September 1, 2021
Yes, absolutely, bright light makes my eyes hurt intensely. Being out in direct sun on a bright sunny day is miserable if I don't have sunglasses with me. If someone shines a flashlight directly in my eyes, it hurts.
It's kind of blowing my mind that this is not the case for everyone!
posted by beandip at 9:23 AM on September 1, 2021 [6 favorites]
It's kind of blowing my mind that this is not the case for everyone!
posted by beandip at 9:23 AM on September 1, 2021 [6 favorites]
I am like this, too, heatherlogan. I want to smush my face into a pillow most days.
I am also sensitive to heat and cold, itchy tags/constrictive clothing, loud noises and certain frequencies of sound. I am diagnosed with ADD, but given family history on my dad's side, there is a solid chance I'm also somewhere else on the NT scale, just never diagnosed (because, girl? maybe?)
I leave the blinds closed as much as possible, have to turn half the lights off in my office, and would prefer to work in a dark room with a single, soft light source. I hate watching TV with other lights on, because it's just too much light all around, and I wear prescription sunglasses to drive until later in the evening than most people probably would.
posted by Schielisque at 9:30 AM on September 1, 2021
I am also sensitive to heat and cold, itchy tags/constrictive clothing, loud noises and certain frequencies of sound. I am diagnosed with ADD, but given family history on my dad's side, there is a solid chance I'm also somewhere else on the NT scale, just never diagnosed (because, girl? maybe?)
I leave the blinds closed as much as possible, have to turn half the lights off in my office, and would prefer to work in a dark room with a single, soft light source. I hate watching TV with other lights on, because it's just too much light all around, and I wear prescription sunglasses to drive until later in the evening than most people probably would.
posted by Schielisque at 9:30 AM on September 1, 2021
I almost never wear sunglasses even in super bright areas, but being exposed to very bright light after having been in (relative) dark definitely hurts my eyeballs and it takes a bit of time to adjust. (I never thought this was unusual - you always see scenes in movies of people emerging into the light and shading their eyes for a minute, right?) I think staring directly at a bright light source (i.e. the kind of thing where when you look away you see imprints of the light floating around for a few minutes after) also hurts, but I'm not going to test that right now.
Bonus: Bright sunlight can make me sneeze. (Interestingly, that article never brings up the possibility that the reflex is a mechanism to protect our retinas from bright lights, which was my original assumption.)
posted by trig at 9:33 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
Bonus: Bright sunlight can make me sneeze. (Interestingly, that article never brings up the possibility that the reflex is a mechanism to protect our retinas from bright lights, which was my original assumption.)
posted by trig at 9:33 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
I got this. I am photo sensitive and my pupils are rather large all the time. I think it’s a problem related to CFS/ME for me. I also get retina burn a lot and have some issues with my visual coordination and a pretty bad astigmatism in each eye.
posted by Crystalinne at 9:35 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Crystalinne at 9:35 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
Yes. Bright light can give me pain that feels like it’s just behind my eyes.
posted by rodlymight at 9:59 AM on September 1, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by rodlymight at 9:59 AM on September 1, 2021 [2 favorites]
No, no pain.
posted by penguin pie at 10:05 AM on September 1, 2021
posted by penguin pie at 10:05 AM on September 1, 2021
I do experience this but I would say 85% of the time it's a precursor to a migraine or the aftermath of a migraine. Which makes me suspect that the other 15% of the time it probably *would* have developed into a migraine but I managed to head it off with meds once the light thing started.
I do have other more ongoing sensory sensitivities, mostly around textures, sometimes around sounds. Whether I am autistic is an open question - the current professional consensus is that autism runs in one side of my family and I have some typical features of it but at a subclinical level. But that overlaps pretty hard with "girl with autism who learned to mask early due to social expectations" so who knows which of those is the more accurate story. Fair to say I'm neurodivergent in some way.
posted by Stacey at 10:10 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
I do have other more ongoing sensory sensitivities, mostly around textures, sometimes around sounds. Whether I am autistic is an open question - the current professional consensus is that autism runs in one side of my family and I have some typical features of it but at a subclinical level. But that overlaps pretty hard with "girl with autism who learned to mask early due to social expectations" so who knows which of those is the more accurate story. Fair to say I'm neurodivergent in some way.
posted by Stacey at 10:10 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
Glare is a huge problem for me and super bright lights hurt my eyes. I always assumed it's because I have light-colored eyes and I need more sun protection than if they were darker but I am 100% making that up on my own.
This is me too, if my partner turns on his phone's flashlight at night and it's pointed in my direction, I'll yelp. I don't experience it as pain exactly, just a truly MAKE IT STOP negative feeling, kind of like a very sudden loud noise. If I'm out in the sun for too long without sunglasses or a hat, I'll get a migraine. Like Schielisque I have a bunch of other sensitivities (temperature, itching, noises, clothing) so this is just part of all of that. My father was likely on the spectrum, I've never bothered with a diagnosis, so don't know about myself specifically.
posted by jessamyn at 10:24 AM on September 1, 2021
This is me too, if my partner turns on his phone's flashlight at night and it's pointed in my direction, I'll yelp. I don't experience it as pain exactly, just a truly MAKE IT STOP negative feeling, kind of like a very sudden loud noise. If I'm out in the sun for too long without sunglasses or a hat, I'll get a migraine. Like Schielisque I have a bunch of other sensitivities (temperature, itching, noises, clothing) so this is just part of all of that. My father was likely on the spectrum, I've never bothered with a diagnosis, so don't know about myself specifically.
posted by jessamyn at 10:24 AM on September 1, 2021
Yes pain, yes autism/sensory sensitivities galore.
posted by lafemma at 10:40 AM on September 1, 2021
posted by lafemma at 10:40 AM on September 1, 2021
Yes - it feels anywhere between pressure to stabbing pain (for example currently, working in front of a window the glare off the clouds causes a pressure - but flashlight in my eyes would be brief stabbing pain). I don't generally have sensory sensitivities, but have been prone to migraines in the past (haven't had one since having a baby, knock on wood).
posted by DoubleLune at 10:41 AM on September 1, 2021
posted by DoubleLune at 10:41 AM on September 1, 2021
For many years I have gotten my retinas examined regularly, due to some minor retina trouble in the past that can make serious trouble more likely. During the exam, the ophthalmologist shines an extremely bright light on every part of my retina, getting me to turn my eyes in every direction so they can see the edges, and my eyes are dilated for the exam, which makes it worse. I always find this excruciatingly painful and invariably have tears of pain running down my cheeks. It's a sharp, stabbing, intense, overwhelming pain.
I was astonished, last time, in chatting with the doctor, to learn that not everyone finds the bright light of these exams to be painful! I can't even imagine how that can be. For what it's worth, I am not autistic; I am prone to migraines but do not generally get a migraine from these exams.
Bright light in general is somewhat painful, requiring me to always have sunglasses handy, though of course nothing is as bad as a retina exam. I keep disfavored sunglasses in the glove box of every car we own, ugly sunglasses, scratched sunglasses, or uncomfortable sunglasses, just in case I forget to bring some with me when I go out, because bad sunglasses are much better than none at all.
posted by metonym at 10:53 AM on September 1, 2021 [3 favorites]
I was astonished, last time, in chatting with the doctor, to learn that not everyone finds the bright light of these exams to be painful! I can't even imagine how that can be. For what it's worth, I am not autistic; I am prone to migraines but do not generally get a migraine from these exams.
Bright light in general is somewhat painful, requiring me to always have sunglasses handy, though of course nothing is as bad as a retina exam. I keep disfavored sunglasses in the glove box of every car we own, ugly sunglasses, scratched sunglasses, or uncomfortable sunglasses, just in case I forget to bring some with me when I go out, because bad sunglasses are much better than none at all.
posted by metonym at 10:53 AM on September 1, 2021 [3 favorites]
I'm on the spectrum, and bright light is definitely painful. But some strong smells are also painful. And even some light touch can be as painful as getting a tattoo was (i.e. my wife could gently trace her hand along my arm, and it will start being painful around the 3rd repetition). While chaotic, but not loud, sounds (a room full of talking people) aren't painful, they're dreadfully exhausting.
posted by nobeagle at 11:06 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by nobeagle at 11:06 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
As another data point, I find bright light pleasant rather than painful -- I intensely dislike sunglasses and the first thing I do when I move into a new place is go through and replace all the lightbulbs with higher-watt equivalents. This is likely related to my tendency towards seasonal affective disorder; I have no other sensory disorders that I'm aware of.
posted by ook at 11:21 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by ook at 11:21 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
No.
I can't tolerate bright light, but it does not hurt.
posted by tristeza at 11:48 AM on September 1, 2021
I can't tolerate bright light, but it does not hurt.
posted by tristeza at 11:48 AM on September 1, 2021
My dark blue eyes are much like Crystalline's. I have been told my pupils are, in general, unusually large and bright white lights/glare can be physically painful. I rarely experience migraines.
Also, the trend towards super-bright headlights is the FUCKING WORST.
posted by ApathyGirl at 11:50 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
Also, the trend towards super-bright headlights is the FUCKING WORST.
posted by ApathyGirl at 11:50 AM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
Rather informal but in general my blue/green eyes friends including myself have more issues (including pain) relating to glare/brightness than my brown eyed friends. Only one of us (blue eyes) is also on the Spectrum.
Myself and my SO (both blue eyes, non spectrum) will get headaches from being outside without sunglasses unless it is overcast/dark.
posted by ReiFlinx at 11:53 AM on September 1, 2021
Myself and my SO (both blue eyes, non spectrum) will get headaches from being outside without sunglasses unless it is overcast/dark.
posted by ReiFlinx at 11:53 AM on September 1, 2021
I don’t. My husband does, typically with lights in the house at night, seemingly less so outside on a sunny day, oddly enough. We both have brown eyes, no migraines, no autism.
posted by music for skeletons at 12:00 PM on September 1, 2021
posted by music for skeletons at 12:00 PM on September 1, 2021
Dark to light hurts like pressure behind my eyes, not stabbing. No migraines or autism. Goes away as my eyes adjust.
These days, though, I constantly wear sunglasses. After paying for LASIK, I'm protecting my investment.
posted by bfranklin at 12:06 PM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
These days, though, I constantly wear sunglasses. After paying for LASIK, I'm protecting my investment.
posted by bfranklin at 12:06 PM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
Yes but it's a buzzing sensation like mild electric currents. Not headaches. Autistic & ADHD.
posted by lloquat at 12:20 PM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by lloquat at 12:20 PM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
I can't look at bright sun light. I literally cannot override the flinch. A split instant of turning in that direction doesn't hurt when I do it but definitely triggers pain that lingers afterwards, pain that is the same diffuse headache as a concussion. How much pain and how long depends on how long I was exposed to light. This can happen even when my eyes were closed when I looked into the light, as my eyelids as they are not thick enough to block full sun or a high beam. The head pain will turn into a migraine if there is enough of it and I can trigger a migraine easily in less than a minute.
Apparently my after image of the light lasts considerably longer than average. Most people would measure how long it lasts in seconds where as for me it is measured in minutes. So if I look into the sky, I am going to be missing a chunk of my vision for awhile afterwards because of the ghost light I am seeing.
I am apparently on the spectrum, probably deeply, but never got an official diagnosis. I have brown eyes.
I have a rathke cleft cyst which is in my brain where the two optic nerves cross. These are often diagnosed due to visual abnormalities.
I've taken about eight minutes to write this up, and the after image from walking out onto my porch and looking at the sky is still in my vision badly enough that it wouldn't be safe for me to drive.
I may have just given myself a migraine testing this with that one glance at the sky. That wasn't smart of me...
posted by Jane the Brown at 12:49 PM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
Apparently my after image of the light lasts considerably longer than average. Most people would measure how long it lasts in seconds where as for me it is measured in minutes. So if I look into the sky, I am going to be missing a chunk of my vision for awhile afterwards because of the ghost light I am seeing.
I am apparently on the spectrum, probably deeply, but never got an official diagnosis. I have brown eyes.
I have a rathke cleft cyst which is in my brain where the two optic nerves cross. These are often diagnosed due to visual abnormalities.
I've taken about eight minutes to write this up, and the after image from walking out onto my porch and looking at the sky is still in my vision badly enough that it wouldn't be safe for me to drive.
I may have just given myself a migraine testing this with that one glance at the sky. That wasn't smart of me...
posted by Jane the Brown at 12:49 PM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
Huh! Yeah, it's definitely physically painful for me and it never occurred to me that it might not be for everyone! Don't most people wince and cover their eyes when bright lights are in them?
I get migraines, very occasionally, but they aren't correlated with how much it hurts for a bright light to be in my eyes. My eyes are hazel.
This might explain why my husband doesn't always remember to warn me to cover my eyes when he turns on the light first thing in the morning.
posted by potrzebie at 1:01 PM on September 1, 2021
I get migraines, very occasionally, but they aren't correlated with how much it hurts for a bright light to be in my eyes. My eyes are hazel.
This might explain why my husband doesn't always remember to warn me to cover my eyes when he turns on the light first thing in the morning.
posted by potrzebie at 1:01 PM on September 1, 2021
Like many of the people posting above, I also get photosensitivity during migraines, or immediately prior to migraines. I don't experience this as eye pain; it's just a generally unpleasant sensation of "wow, everything being so bright is making the pain in my head feel worse." If I cover my eyes or wear sunglasses it feels a little better. It took me until this year to figure out I had been having migraines all my life; I just assumed everyone wanted to lie down in a dark room when they had a headache and they could tell they had a headache because it was difficult to concentrate on anything else and they didn't do that or talk about it because their pain tolerance was higher than mine. Apparently this is not true.
But if I'm not having a migraine, I am totally fine with lights. Transitioning from dark to light means I'm squinting for a couple seconds but there's no pain involved.
I have also had the misfortune of having photophobia when I had a corneal ulcer, and that was an entirely different terrible experience. It physically hurt my eye to look at any bright light and my eye would immediately start watering, tears streaming down my face, and I had to look away from the source of the light because it hurt so much, continuously. There wasn't any adjusting to it. I've never found the light at eye exams painful before, but it was very painful then, and I was having eye exams multiple times a week because of the corneal ulcer. I had blurred vision and a lot of inflammation. I spent about a month being unable to use my computer or phone or watch TV because it was too bright and blurry, and mostly just sitting at home in the dark with my eyes shut, putting very strong antibiotics into my eye several times a day. I don't recommend getting a corneal ulcer.
So in case you want to know what photophobia as a symptom of an actual eye problem is like, it's like that. Or, at least, it was like that for me.
(I do not have autism. I have very light blue eyes. I do have a different neurological condition (cerebral palsy) as a result of actual brain damage, FWIW, but as far as I know, my vision is not affected by it.)
posted by sineala at 1:05 PM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
But if I'm not having a migraine, I am totally fine with lights. Transitioning from dark to light means I'm squinting for a couple seconds but there's no pain involved.
I have also had the misfortune of having photophobia when I had a corneal ulcer, and that was an entirely different terrible experience. It physically hurt my eye to look at any bright light and my eye would immediately start watering, tears streaming down my face, and I had to look away from the source of the light because it hurt so much, continuously. There wasn't any adjusting to it. I've never found the light at eye exams painful before, but it was very painful then, and I was having eye exams multiple times a week because of the corneal ulcer. I had blurred vision and a lot of inflammation. I spent about a month being unable to use my computer or phone or watch TV because it was too bright and blurry, and mostly just sitting at home in the dark with my eyes shut, putting very strong antibiotics into my eye several times a day. I don't recommend getting a corneal ulcer.
So in case you want to know what photophobia as a symptom of an actual eye problem is like, it's like that. Or, at least, it was like that for me.
(I do not have autism. I have very light blue eyes. I do have a different neurological condition (cerebral palsy) as a result of actual brain damage, FWIW, but as far as I know, my vision is not affected by it.)
posted by sineala at 1:05 PM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
I can still see that after image... But I now have enough vision to be safe to drive. (It has lingered 25 minutes, so far.)
posted by Jane the Brown at 1:05 PM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Jane the Brown at 1:05 PM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
Yep, I do get this. I’m neurotypical, although I have a history of ocular migraines. And like trig, I also have photic sneeze reflex (i.e., light will often make me sneeze). I remember being a kid and being shocked when I found out that not everyone experienced this phenomenon.
posted by holborne at 1:10 PM on September 1, 2021
posted by holborne at 1:10 PM on September 1, 2021
Yes. For me it feels more like a muscle strain at the back/perimeter of my eyes, definitely with the addition of the stabby feeling if the light is REALLY bright. I keep a little nightlight in my bathroom because if I have to use it in the middle of the night, it is AGONY to turn the main light on after just waking up.
I am not prone to migraines, although I've had a handful of them in the past. My eyes are green/hazel-ish. I DO have really dry eyes, and although this still happened to me before my eyes were super dry, it has definitely gotten worse over time. I also have ADHD, if that factors in.
posted by helloimjennsco at 1:37 PM on September 1, 2021
I am not prone to migraines, although I've had a handful of them in the past. My eyes are green/hazel-ish. I DO have really dry eyes, and although this still happened to me before my eyes were super dry, it has definitely gotten worse over time. I also have ADHD, if that factors in.
posted by helloimjennsco at 1:37 PM on September 1, 2021
Don't most people wince and cover their eyes when bright lights are in them?
If it's super-bright then yes, but not because it's physically painful, just because it's... too bright! They're different sensations to me.
posted by penguin pie at 1:38 PM on September 1, 2021 [2 favorites]
If it's super-bright then yes, but not because it's physically painful, just because it's... too bright! They're different sensations to me.
posted by penguin pie at 1:38 PM on September 1, 2021 [2 favorites]
I have always had extremely sensitive eyes. I can't really tolerate bright light, flashing light, or certain colours (blue, purple) of light. The pain occurs in my eyeballs and will eventually lead to a migraine. It is obviously worse when I have a migraine. Because of this I absolutely hate summer time.
I've been diagnosed with a sensory processing disorder so I assume it's related to that and just being overly sensitive to everything in general (noise also causes me pain). In my case it's probably genetic as my father has the exact same issues that I do.
posted by Stoof at 1:39 PM on September 1, 2021
I've been diagnosed with a sensory processing disorder so I assume it's related to that and just being overly sensitive to everything in general (noise also causes me pain). In my case it's probably genetic as my father has the exact same issues that I do.
posted by Stoof at 1:39 PM on September 1, 2021
occasionally, yes. I do not have the conditions mentioned. you may have a lower threshold than some people but bright enough and it'll hurt almost anyone.
the sensation I understand you to mean is, for me, not much like my own migraine pain but VERY much like caffeine withdrawal pain, which gets me right in the eyeballs esp. when the daystar is involved.
posted by queenofbithynia at 1:48 PM on September 1, 2021
the sensation I understand you to mean is, for me, not much like my own migraine pain but VERY much like caffeine withdrawal pain, which gets me right in the eyeballs esp. when the daystar is involved.
posted by queenofbithynia at 1:48 PM on September 1, 2021
Like Metonym, I regularly have my retinas checked. The bright light during the exam is painful, but I can force myself to tolerate it for the brief duration of the exam. It is not quite as painful as when the laser used for "stitching" a tear hits a nerve. I have always really disliked glare and bright lights, and wear polarized sunglasses when I can. I do get the occasional visual "aura" migraine, but never the headache. I am neurotypical, to the best of my knowledge.
posted by coppertop at 2:08 PM on September 1, 2021
posted by coppertop at 2:08 PM on September 1, 2021
This is going to sound a bit odd but it's not off-topic. If your doctor is amenable, get an MRI of the head both with and without contrast to make sure that you don't have some sort of AVM (typically congenital). It's important to get this both "with and without contrast" as they can miss something in the brain if the MRI is not performed this way. Sounds extreme but an MRI is painless, doesn't take that long, and could find out if you have some other issue. My apologies if this sounds alarmist, just a different suggestion from the other, quite helpful, ones.
posted by mdrosen at 2:25 PM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by mdrosen at 2:25 PM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
Yes, it hurts SO MUCH when the lights are bright!
The eye doctor doing the regular check ups (not even retina things) means that I will have tears streaming down my face, because it *hurts*. It's happened since I was a kid. The ophthalmologist was just like, "Yeah, you have a lot of photophobia," but never indicated it was outside normal experiences. I keep my computer brightness as low as possible. My phone brightness is always down as well. In a dark room, however, that is often still WAY too bright, but at least the iPhone accessibility features let you turn it down even more. I always wear sunglasses and hats outside, and even then, I often wish someone would turn the sun down. I wear sunglasses when it's cloudy, because it's still too bright. I physically cannot un-squint my eyes outside for a photo or anything; it hurts way too much. I would really love to ban those super bright headlights so many cars have now forever. Bright lights are terrible.
I have dark blue eyes. I do not get migraines.
(And the photophobia is for me very different from how I hate clothing tags or loud noises or whatever--and I do hate them a lot--it's immediate, physical pain, not just a "this is too much" sensation.)
posted by lysimache at 2:35 PM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
The eye doctor doing the regular check ups (not even retina things) means that I will have tears streaming down my face, because it *hurts*. It's happened since I was a kid. The ophthalmologist was just like, "Yeah, you have a lot of photophobia," but never indicated it was outside normal experiences. I keep my computer brightness as low as possible. My phone brightness is always down as well. In a dark room, however, that is often still WAY too bright, but at least the iPhone accessibility features let you turn it down even more. I always wear sunglasses and hats outside, and even then, I often wish someone would turn the sun down. I wear sunglasses when it's cloudy, because it's still too bright. I physically cannot un-squint my eyes outside for a photo or anything; it hurts way too much. I would really love to ban those super bright headlights so many cars have now forever. Bright lights are terrible.
I have dark blue eyes. I do not get migraines.
(And the photophobia is for me very different from how I hate clothing tags or loud noises or whatever--and I do hate them a lot--it's immediate, physical pain, not just a "this is too much" sensation.)
posted by lysimache at 2:35 PM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Wow, thanks everybody, it is so fascinating to read about the wide breadth of experiences here! It's useful to know that my experience is neither universal nor unique.
Since a couple people mentioned the photic sneeze reflex: my dad has it, but no-one else in my immediate family does.
posted by heatherlogan at 3:34 PM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
Since a couple people mentioned the photic sneeze reflex: my dad has it, but no-one else in my immediate family does.
posted by heatherlogan at 3:34 PM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
I get this, and assumed everyone did. It feels like an ache in the rear of my eyeballs. I thought it was from my pupils constricting. I am neurotypical with no history of migraines.
posted by batonthefueltank at 6:35 PM on September 1, 2021
posted by batonthefueltank at 6:35 PM on September 1, 2021
Oh, hell, yes. Any bright light is painful. Morning sunlight is worse, for unknown reasons, and I've always hated it. I keep my computer monitor brightness and contrast low, and I've got an add-on program that takes it down farther. I might have a migraine coming on because I've just had to crank that setting down a lot. I had the photic sneeze reflex when I was younger, but it seems to have gone away.
posted by bryon at 9:44 PM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by bryon at 9:44 PM on September 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
I used to get this as a kid but mostly don't now. (I also get visual migraines with aura once a year or so, and test borderline on diy ASD screening tests, but pass for neurotypical). But I'm really answering your question because I've asked this exact question of people about sound frequencies from time to time. Some pitch (or range) hit by intentional squealing guitar harmonics straight up hurts for me, and it's only as an adult I've realized this isn't universal.
posted by deludingmyself at 9:51 PM on September 1, 2021
posted by deludingmyself at 9:51 PM on September 1, 2021
Yes, I also feel an aching pain in bright and especially diffuse bright light. I'm told it is caused by my astigmatism.
Before I had a cornea transplant it was much worse, to the point where I was unable to drive during sunset. I'd have to pull over and wait for the sun to go down. I'm much better now, but sunglasses are still my best friend.
posted by Eddie Mars at 5:54 AM on September 2, 2021
Before I had a cornea transplant it was much worse, to the point where I was unable to drive during sunset. I'd have to pull over and wait for the sun to go down. I'm much better now, but sunglasses are still my best friend.
posted by Eddie Mars at 5:54 AM on September 2, 2021
Hmm, reading other responses, I also get visual migraines, I sneeze from sunlight, and I have blue eyes. Looking at a bright light leaves after images that linger for many minutes.
posted by Eddie Mars at 6:11 AM on September 2, 2021
posted by Eddie Mars at 6:11 AM on September 2, 2021
I experience pain from bright light, and I am autistic. If you haven't crossed paths with it, The Intense World Theory (which is not without flaws) may be of interest to you as a path into some of the research behind why this may be the case.
posted by cCranium at 9:22 AM on September 2, 2021
posted by cCranium at 9:22 AM on September 2, 2021
Interesting how varied people are.
Another thought after my comment above: Not only do I not feel pain at bright lights, I tend towards Seasonal Affective Disorder (loving summer sun, not so much winter darkness). When my 10,000 lumens daylight lamp is on, I can practically push my eyes right up in front of it and feel all the joy of that lovely bright light hitting my retinas and flooding my brain with summer light, like I'm drinking a big glass of cool water on a hot day. And no pain.
So there's that.
posted by penguin pie at 12:26 PM on September 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
Another thought after my comment above: Not only do I not feel pain at bright lights, I tend towards Seasonal Affective Disorder (loving summer sun, not so much winter darkness). When my 10,000 lumens daylight lamp is on, I can practically push my eyes right up in front of it and feel all the joy of that lovely bright light hitting my retinas and flooding my brain with summer light, like I'm drinking a big glass of cool water on a hot day. And no pain.
So there's that.
posted by penguin pie at 12:26 PM on September 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
Yes and I am autistic.
posted by Beethoven's Sith at 11:42 PM on September 5, 2021
posted by Beethoven's Sith at 11:42 PM on September 5, 2021
This thread is closed to new comments.
My sister gets terrible pain in any bright light and always has. Her eyes are such pale blue that they seem almost white, and she's been told that more UV gets into her eyes because of that. Doctors called it photophobia even though it has been lifelong. I think this is part of why she moved to Seattle from San Diego.
posted by buildmyworld at 7:13 AM on September 1, 2021