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Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Exodus on 16/08/2003 13:25:09

Title: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: Exodus on 16/08/2003 13:25:09
I think we mentioned this a while back and people i've spoken to in the past thought it was rubbish. However, i've come accross a fair few people since who have this happen, apparently it is known as "photic sneeze reflex", just out of interest, has anyone on here ever had it, its thought to affect one in four people...

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Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: Broca on 28/08/2003 21:50:07
My father had this reflex. We did not know it was actually something scientific! We just thought he was loopy! :-)  It was consistent and fairly constant. He has since passed, but I will get more information from my family and if there is amything of interest about this, I will let you know.
Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: Ians Daddy on 28/08/2003 22:05:09
I had no idea that this was considered an affliction. I sneeze when exposed to the sun after being in an area significantly darker i.e. the office, home or a theatre. I thought it was just a shock to the system going from dark to light.

Interesting.
Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: Broca on 28/08/2003 22:08:42
You thought you were loopy too? :-)
Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: Ians Daddy on 28/08/2003 22:23:30
Oh, no. I AM loopy. I just thought everyone else was too. [:)]
Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: Broca on 28/08/2003 22:27:37
Loopy isn't a bad thing! I think you are in with good company.
Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: Quantumcat on 29/08/2003 01:16:48
I definitely have it, it gets annoiyng sometimes :P

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Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: Phil830 on 10/09/2003 20:35:03
i get it too - if i looked at the sun, i sneeze.  Usually though, its when my alergies are bothering me, but even then, it happens sometimes
Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: Exodus on 10/09/2003 21:59:59
welcome to the forum Phil. [:D]

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Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: Qing on 12/09/2003 09:02:26
I think I might have it too. I sneeze when I see the sun,same as Ians Daddy,it occurs when I change from a dark room to bright sunlight. By the way I'm still Sneezing a lot scince last time I Posted the topic about sneezing,but much better.

Qing
Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: Pappy on 15/10/2003 21:21:33
I have it too. I also sneeze in dark rooms..........do I have "anti-photic sneeze reflex?"

I must be double loopy.
Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: chris on 16/10/2003 00:17:16
Maybe you're just prone to sneezing !

Welcome to the forum

Chris

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
 - Groucho Marx
Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: Donnah on 16/10/2003 16:22:08
Or you really are double loopy[;)]...welcome Pappy.
Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: martinH on 22/11/2003 13:17:53

This is a common reaction.  Those who have photic sneezing often think everyone has it - perhaps because it tends to run in families, and those who don't can't believe it exists !

There would seem to be several types of photic sneezers.  The most common is probably those people who use a source of light to bring out a sneeze that is already there, but 'won't come'. Another - and probably less numerous group - is formed by those who sneeze because they look into bright light. These could be further divided into those who experience this only on odd occasions and those who experience it regularly.

With a number of others in this last category I have put together information in
 Photic sneezing resources  http://www.photic-sneezing.fr.st/.  Have a look, and see if you recognise yourself in any of the descriptions.

Martin
Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: tweener on 22/11/2003 22:24:14
I sneeze almost every time I walk out into the sun (actually, I sneeze two times), even if I've just been in well lit rooms or open shade.  Sometimes I sneeze when I turn on the lights in a room. I just tell everyone I'm allergic to the sun since I spend most of my time inside in front of a computer screen and have a nice minty green complexion to show for it. [:D]


----
John
Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: Quantumcat on 24/11/2003 09:04:21
There was a news story a long time ago about a boy who was allergic to something in the air, not sure if it was the sun or not. He had to be put in this space suit thing to go outside.

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Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: chris on 24/11/2003 10:28:42
He probably had SCID - severe combined immunodeficiency - they have no functioning immune system to speak of and hence are at huge risk of infection. The only cure is a bone marrow transplant from a suitable donor. The disease has a genetic origin.

Chris

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
 - Groucho Marx
Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: Donnah on 24/11/2003 15:33:46
I believe that's caused by not having the amino acid adenosine deaminase.
Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: Quantumcat on 25/11/2003 13:34:56
But you can eat foods containing that amino acid, and how could he live if he couldn't use it? All his proteins would be wrong and he wouldn't be able to live, surely?

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Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: chris on 25/11/2003 13:59:21
SCID - severe combined immunodeficiency - is an inherited immune disorder resulting from a failure in the production or survival of lymphocytes, leading to severe immunocompromise and high susceptibility to infection.

Over half of the cases are linked to the X chromosome and the cause has been pinpointed to the IL2 receptor gamma (IL2RG) gene. IL2RG activates another protein called JAK3, the gene for which is located on chromosome 19, which can also cause SCID if it is mutated.

Another form of SCID is ADA (adenosine deaminase) deficiency, which is linked to a mutation in the ADA gene on chromosome 20. ADA is an enzyme which deaminates adenosine and 2'-deoxyadenosine to inosine and deoxyinosine respectively. In the absence of sufficient ADA activity, pathological levels of the enzymic substrates accumulate, leading to cell toxicity and death.

Chris

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
 - Groucho Marx
Title: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: tictactoc on 16/10/2008 01:57:14
hey! i just came upon this forum when i was searching for stuff on photic sneezing so i thought id comment,

-me and my friend both have the photic sneeze genes and whenever we went outside into bright sunlight, whether it was light inside or not, we'd both usually end up synchronize-sneezing twice. i dunno how you'd categorize that, but i usually always sneeze twice outside, and bright lights always help me sneeze when i have to but can't...

 
Title: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: Willy on 21/03/2009 08:43:12
i guess i'm not in the same boat as everyone else, but mostly the similar type of problem.
You do know when or not to sneeze, same thing goes with me but when I have to "sneezing" feeling, i just can't sneeze and that's seriously annoying! I can only sneeze once I have that "feeling" and look at the sun(or light but it must be strong enough). Sometimes maybe 1/12% i can sneeze regularly without the help of the sunlight. So i wonder if this is also called the "photic sneeze" thingy
Title: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: stroialbert23 on 21/03/2009 18:50:26
I think we mentioned this a while back and people i've spoken to in the past thought it was rubbish. However, i've come accross a fair few people since who have this happen, apparently it is known as "photic sneeze reflex", just out of interest, has anyone on here ever had it, its thought to affect one in four people...

Resident Tour Operator - The Naked Scientists

I think, that it occurs that the sun gives ultro-violet radiation which influences eyes
Title: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: Variola on 21/03/2009 19:10:50
Quote
I think, that it occurs that the sun gives ultro-violet radiation which influences eyes

That would explain why I always sneeze when applying mascara, rather different I know but it doesn't matter which brand I use I always sneeze after applying it.Obviously stimulating something in my eyes is making me sneeze.
Downfall is to sneeze I need to close my eyes, which then leaves me with wet mascara marks on my cheeks. Attractive hun?  [::)]
Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: windhorse on 10/09/2013 00:48:24
I've got it, and my grandfather had it. Martin, I tried your link, but looks like a dead link. Of course this is a really old thread.
Title: Re: Why do some people sneeze when they look at the sun?
Post by: cheryl j on 10/09/2013 13:03:58
There was a thread about this a while ago and you can also find it in Wikipedia. The trigeminal nerve has three branches, and one of them goes to the eye and one to the nose. Occasionally things that stimulate the eye will be misinterpreted by the brain as something irritating the nose, causing the sneeze response. Some people also sneeze when they pluck their eyebrows.