Sensitivity to light

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I am very sensitive to light, to the extent that sometimes, on a rather sunny day, I come out of a building and the sun is so bright to me that my eyes literally clamp shut and I can't open them again. Which is rather annoying, especially if you're not alone.

Me too. Especially in winter I am almost blind when it's sunny out. I spoke to an optometrist and they told me its not a vision issue but is because my eyes take in much more stimuli than most people. In other words, yet another autistic trait of mine.

I usually shade my eyes or squint at my feet while walking in sunlight.

Solution: Sunglasses. I don't have as much of a visual sensory issue as others might have, but I have worn sunglasses when the sun was at it's brightest.

I couldn't even sleep if the stereo's plugged in because the power indicator light kept me up. Now that I no longer use it (it no longer works), I only have to be concerned with the clock (throw a bandana over the display), blacking out the windows (aluminum foil works great for this) and if my phone is charging (I throw a sock over the suger protector's LED indicator lights).

On the exceptional bright sunny day, I can be rendered nearly blinded by sun in my eyes. Really cannot see. Sanctus, as I understand, those with any ASD can be exceptionally photosensitive. I do not like bright sunshine. My eyes are naturally slightly dilated, which may be a factor. Yeah, I guess sunglasses

Annoying, isn't it?

I am also very sensitive to light. I wear sunglasses all the time during the day, and have problems with headlights at night. My mom always thought it was because I have green eyes.

Well, I could add, me too, but that would be oversimplifying.

In August of 2010, I figured out I was somewhere "on the spectrum", after fifty one years of not understanding what was "wrong with" me.

In early October of 2010, an eye doctor finally figured out exactly what I was born with all those years ago - ocular albinism. Which means my eyes are naturally light sensitive. That wasn't a surprise to me - as a kid, I got in trouble with eye doctors all the time for flinching away from the lights. And I once got in trouble in high school for swearing at a kid who popped a camera's flash in my face, and they wouldn't accept I found it as painful as a physical attack. But, in another way, it was a surprise: my light sensitivity bothered me so much less than certain other sensory issues that it had become somewhat lost and buried among all the others. Which meant - since I had a diagnosed, physical reason for something that didn't even stand out, I figured that certainly proved my sensory issues must be more than "my imagination". I still figure that.

But now, I read this thread, and figure maybe I am sensitive to light from two angles...

And, yeah, long before 2010, I had trouble because when I came out of a building into the sunlight, it would take a minute or two before I could really get my eyes to open. It's pretty freaky trying to walk when your eyes are clamped shut... although, whenever I could, I'd stop short, of course. In the snow, when the sun came out, that was a real ordeal.

Edited to add: The diagnosis of ocular albinism was not based on my light sensitivity: he actually took a photo of my inner eye. That was an ordeal - I had the "shadow" of that flash imprinted on my eye for an hour or two. I essentially don't have normal retinas - all my vision is reliant on what in most of you would be your peripheral vision. Even among the nearsighted, I am weird.

I've noticed this too. Many don't understand how painful camera flashes actually are.

Light doesn't bother me, but my mom has to wear shades everywhere. Even when it isn't sunny.

She was told her vision was just fine, in fact perfect.

it is possible to have this issue and there be nothing wrong with your vision.

I'm not sure, but I think that it's how her mind receives the light signal, not her eyes themselves, that is the problem.

But I really don't know. Perhaps the optometrist missed something.

Exactly. Some people have poor vision but are not especially sensitive to light. Some people are sensitive to light but have perfect vision. And some people have poor vision and sensitivity to light. They are two different things, and only in some cases do they overlap. In my case, ocular albinism (which is rare), the poor vision and light sensitivity (at least the physical component of it) do go hand in hand and can't be separated - but very few people have that exact issue. I'm pretty sure there are other conditions where they are related, but they don't have to be.

I get this all the time...like today *squints*

I can't sleep if there is any light in my room. It has to be completely dark, I mean pitch black. Some light passing under the door from another room is already too much, or just a warning light from an electronic device. And the minute the sun rises, if I don't cover my eyes, I'll wake up and won't be able to go back to sleep... Which, in a northern country around solstice can be a problem. And I can't keep my eyes opened outdoors when it's sunny, unless I wear sunglasses. So I guess I'm sensitive to light too...

I'm sensitive to light though sunlight isn't really an issue for me. Sunglasses are a simple, socially acceptable solution (and it's better for your eyes anyway). I'm way more bothered by indoor lights, especially fluorescent, they are a huge problem for me and literally make me feel sick. They give me headaches, dizziness, fatigue and make me feel disoriented. They also make me squint and blink a lot. The worst part is they are everywhere and the only solution I have is a tinted lens, which is annoying to wear and only makes things somewhat better. I don't understand how other people aren't bothered by them, they make everything look distorted and make me feel like I'm walking around in a big bright fog.