If You Sneeze When You See Bright Light, There's a Reason
ACHOO! Yes, that's the sound you make when sneezing, but it also stands for exactly what's happening at the time: autosomal dominant compulsive helio-ophthalmic outbursts of sneezing is a syndrome of sneezing set off by light. This is also known as another acronym: PSR–photic sneeze reflex.
Okay, so that's a lot of big words and jargon, but a PSR is something that shouldn't be taken lightly, because of, well, light. Heightened sensitivity could prove to be problematic in everyday life.
You see, the brain is in charge trigeminal nerve, which is responsible for your face's sensation of movement and detects irritants. Just like if there is hair or dust in your nose, when transition from dim to bright light, your eyes constrict the pupils, however that signal is misinterpreted and a sneeze results.
Although this isn't exactly the truth, the theory isn't that far off. Because, it is irritants that cause a sneeze.
So, if a parent has it, there's a 50/50 chance their offspring will have it too. But, PSR is not just an everyday annoyance. It can have some serious implications for your safety, considering it's such an unplanned occurrence.
Sounds like a car accident waiting to happen. It's it not just a safety hazard for drivers. The momentary loss in vision can be bad news for tightrope walkers, outdoor athletes and even pilots. Fortunately, a study done back in 1993 shows that simply wearing sunglasses can help prevent this from happening.Â
So, that's how baseball players manage to catch those pop-flies without sneezing their brains out? Yup.
Maybe now you can better prepare yourself for the impending: ACHOO!