Luckily, the photic sneeze reflex only hits when you first encounter a bright light. This disorder is also known as ACHOO syndrome or helio-ophthalmic outburst syndrome. Patients with this affliction are seized by paroxysms of sneezing provoked by bright light usually sunlight. What Is the Photic Sneeze Reflex? Now the interesting thing is, the dark chocolate sneezing is a type of photic sneeze reflex, despite the fact that it's not actually caused by photons, that's where the 'photic' comes from. Millions of people would find themselves sneezing every time they spent a day in the sun. But some researchers are now starting to take more interest in photic sneezing, since it may shed light on other conditions that can be triggered by light, such as epileptic seizures. … Photic Sneeze Reflex – also known as ACHOO or Autosomal Dominant Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst – is a condition characterized by uncontrollable sneezing after exposure to bright lights, usually sunlight. Sneeze and Light Reflex. Photic sneeze reflex is a rather annoying disorder which is characterized by nearly uncontrollable, reflexive fits of sneezing. Known as the photic sneeze reflex or ACHOO (autosomal dominant compelling helio-ophthalmic outburst), the sudden exposure to bright light may elicit a sneeze in some people. Also known as the fifth cranial nerve, it's the largest and most complex paired nerve in the head, with three major branches leading to the eyes, nasal cavity, and the jaw. Photo by Cultura/Seb Oliver/Getty Images A regular sneeze … However, the photic sneeze reflex has nothing to do with heat, and instead appears to be the result of crossed wires somewhere along the trigeminal nerve. The Achoo syndrome is also called the photic sneeze reflex … As such, those afflicted with this condition are called “sun sneezers. The photic sneeze reflex (also backronymed as Autosomal Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst (ACHOO) syndrome and colloquially sun sneezing) is a reflex condition that causes sneezing in response to numerous stimuli, such as looking at bright lights or periocular (surrounding the eyeball) injection. The exact cause is unknown although there is evidence that there is a familial tendency for this to occur. If this reflex continued the entire time you were in bright light, you might suffer. Photic sneeze reflex is a relatively harmless disorder that causes people to sneeze in bright light after being in a dark space. The condition affects 18–35% of the world's population, but … The goal of the Oxford Photic Sneeze Survey, which Spitschan is coordinating, is to better understand what drives the photic sneeze reflex. Then, it goes away. Since photic sneeze reflex isn't a life-threatening condition, it hasn't been studied extensively in the past. The photic sneeze reflex, explained. Support Vox's explanatory journalism. The number of successive sneezes is usually two or three but can be up to about 40. According to Healthline, photic reflex sneezes are distinct from the regular ones which are provoked by allergies, infections, or irritants.Anywhere from 11-35 percent of the population is troubled with photic sneeze reflex, but a 1995 study published in the Journal of the American Optometric Association and posted to Pub Med revealed that the vast majority of … Reflex, photic sneeze: A disorder characterized by nearly uncontrollable paroxysms of sneezing provoked in a reflex fashion by the sudden exposure of a dark-adapted subject to intensely bright light, usually to brilliant sunlight. In bright light after being in a dark space helio-ophthalmic outburst syndrome disorder is known... Light usually sunlight affliction are seized by paroxysms of sneezing provoked by light! 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