Would this qualify for 'sensitivity'? (eye sensitivity)

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Dnuos
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17 Aug 2010, 12:25 pm

Sorry for all the questions lately... :(

In terms of sensitivity associated with Asperger's.

When it's a bright, sunny day outside, I find it really uncomfortable for both my eyes to be normally open; if they're both open, it's only slightly. For one eye to be normally open, the other has to be closed or it won't work. Even with sunglasses on, it's not always easy to keep both eyes open to as if I were indoors. I've adapted to it, got used to it, but it still annoys me constantly,

I thought this was normal growing up, but couldn't understand why in outdoor photos I was the one with somewhat-squinted eyes (even when the sun wasn't in my eyes) and everyone else's eyes were more visible.

So... is this normal?



Philologos
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17 Aug 2010, 12:31 pm

Of course it has to be normal, it is what I do. Walking down the road, eyes on the ground, one eye closed, the other squinted - that's me. Sitting in my office, in comes someo9ne to talk, MY it's dark, can I turn the light on? Actually, I would rather you didn't.

Part of a bundle of sensory quirks I have, from food textures [I cannot eat yoghourt that is too slick OR too granular] to feet - can you walk across a floor barefoot when there are random sand grains and feel comfortable?



Dnuos
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17 Aug 2010, 12:50 pm

Philologos wrote:
Of course it has to be normal, it is what I do. Walking down the road, eyes on the ground, one eye closed, the other squinted - that's me. Sitting in my office, in comes someo9ne to talk, MY it's dark, can I turn the light on? Actually, I would rather you didn't.

Part of a bundle of sensory quirks I have, from food textures [I cannot eat yoghourt that is too slick OR too granular] to feet - can you walk across a floor barefoot when there are random sand grains and feel comfortable?
I don't know if it's an OCD or other obsessive symptom, but I can't walk across a floor barefoot. That does feel uncomfortable, to the point where I almost never go anywhere without some kind of footing on; sandals/flipflops, or shoes. Worst case scenario, socks. But never barefoot.

I guess I should've asked the question differently - "normal" for AS, or "normal" for humanity in general.



Stonecold
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17 Aug 2010, 4:00 pm

No, it's not "normal", but I don't want to be rude or insulting by saying it's "abnormal". It's an Asperger thing. It's nothing to be ashamed about. If anyone says "Why are you squinting like that?", just say "I don't like bright light." or "I forgot my sunglasses." Sunglasses probably don't help all that much because they are built to reduce the total incoming light (especially UVA and UVB) to prevent eye damage. They aren't made to sharply reduce sunlight.



yarnmama
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31 Mar 2016, 7:06 am

Like the others have said, it seems to be a 'normal' for aspergers thing. I wear sun glasses, squint, or have one or the other eye open all summer, and in brightly lit rooms, because the light just hurts. I live in a white house as well and in the summer it reflects the sun, I sometimes have to go indoors backwards because it hurts my eyes so much...cos the neighbours don't already think we're crazy enough!



borgwoman
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31 Mar 2016, 9:56 am

This is an Aspie thing? I had no idea. I am seriously considering the glasses that turn into sunglasses when you go outside because I have such problems with sunlight hurting my eyes. Has anyone else had any luck with those?



yarnmama
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01 Apr 2016, 7:07 am

Borgwoman, I have no direct experience of them myself (I really want to try them though) but my brother used to use them (he probably still does but I haven't seen him on over 20 years so I don't know) and he swore by them. I have blue filters on my glasses to reduce computer glare but they give the world a lovely yellowish tint so I wear them all the time. They are no use for bright sunlight unfortunately so I still have to keep swapping between them and my sunnies.



Riik
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01 Apr 2016, 7:21 am

I can relate to this. I'm not fond of the sun. My parents complain when the sky is grey, and I'm like "what are you talking about? This is perfect weather!" tbh, I need to invest in some sunglasses. I shoulda listened to the optician and gotten transitional lenses when I got my glasses. But of course I didn't, because I figured there'd be no point cause I don't go out much. I guess I was wrong.


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Last edited by Riik on 01 Apr 2016, 7:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

nerdygirl
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01 Apr 2016, 7:28 am

I always assumed my problems with the sunlight was because my eyes are blue, and people with blue eyes have more sensitivity to light.



yarnmama
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01 Apr 2016, 7:36 am

I hadn't heard that about blue eyes, but I have hazel eyes and still struggle with bright light, on the other hand my mum has blue eyes which means I have the gene if not the eye colour.

I wonder if the eye colour thing has to do with wavelength, you know same as the sky is blue because that is the shortest wavelength so it's the first colour we see. I feel some research coming on...if only I didn't have an essay to write :P



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01 Apr 2016, 4:38 pm

This is about light-sensitivity for people with lighter colored eyes.
Apparently, the same is true for fluorescent lighting...which I guess explains why I've always had a problem with fluorescent lights!

However, I think my problems with the fluorescent lights have been worse than other people with blue eyes. And also, the buzz of the lights bothers me, not just the light.

http://qi.epfl.ch/en/sondage/show/92/



tatals
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01 Apr 2016, 8:27 pm

Riik wrote:
I can relate to this. I'm not fond of the sun. My parents complain when the sky is grey, and I'm like "what are you talking about? This is perfect weather!" tbh, I need to invest in some sunglasses. I shoulda listened to the optician and gotten transitional lenses when I got my glasses. But of course I didn't, because I figured there'd be no point cause I don't go out much. I guess I was wrong.


I relate very much to what you said. And I got new sunglasses as a birthday present today. :bounce:



yarnmama
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02 Apr 2016, 8:28 am

nerdygirl wrote:
This is about light-sensitivity for people with lighter colored eyes.
Apparently, the same is true for fluorescent lighting...which I guess explains why I've always had a problem with fluorescent lights!

However, I think my problems with the fluorescent lights have been worse than other people with blue eyes. And also, the buzz of the lights bothers me, not just the light.

http://qi.epfl.ch/en/sondage/show/92/


I really need to look more into this eye colour thing, mine are kind of golden/green so somewhere in the middle in terms of lightness.


Do you find the flicker annoying too? I really can't stand fluorescent lights all round, they are just plain nasty, too harsh, overly bright, too noisy, and that flicker is so annoying. If I was queen of the world I would ban them straight away :lol: :P



tatals
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02 Apr 2016, 9:01 am

yarnmama wrote:
nerdygirl wrote:
This is about light-sensitivity for people with lighter colored eyes.
Apparently, the same is true for fluorescent lighting...which I guess explains why I've always had a problem with fluorescent lights!

However, I think my problems with the fluorescent lights have been worse than other people with blue eyes. And also, the buzz of the lights bothers me, not just the light.

http://qi.epfl.ch/en/sondage/show/92/


I really need to look more into this eye colour thing, mine are kind of golden/green so somewhere in the middle in terms of lightness.


Do you find the flicker annoying too? I really can't stand fluorescent lights all round, they are just plain nasty, too harsh, overly bright, too noisy, and that flicker is so annoying. If I was queen of the world I would ban them straight away :lol: :P


I have dark brown eyes and I see to have the same problem. My mom has hazel eyes and deals with brightness way better than I do, so I have to wonder if it's limited to eye color.



nerdygirl
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02 Apr 2016, 10:07 am

tatals wrote:
yarnmama wrote:
nerdygirl wrote:
This is about light-sensitivity for people with lighter colored eyes.
Apparently, the same is true for fluorescent lighting...which I guess explains why I've always had a problem with fluorescent lights!

However, I think my problems with the fluorescent lights have been worse than other people with blue eyes. And also, the buzz of the lights bothers me, not just the light.

http://qi.epfl.ch/en/sondage/show/92/


I really need to look more into this eye colour thing, mine are kind of golden/green so somewhere in the middle in terms of lightness.


Do you find the flicker annoying too? I really can't stand fluorescent lights all round, they are just plain nasty, too harsh, overly bright, too noisy, and that flicker is so annoying. If I was queen of the world I would ban them straight away :lol: :P


I have dark brown eyes and I see to have the same problem. My mom has hazel eyes and deals with brightness way better than I do, so I have to wonder if it's limited to eye color.


I am sure some people have problems with light regardless of eye color. But people with light eyes tend to have this problem more often. I suppose that if someone was Aspie with light eyes, it might be hard to tell *which* is causing the problem with the light.



nerdygirl
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02 Apr 2016, 10:09 am

yarnmama wrote:
nerdygirl wrote:
This is about light-sensitivity for people with lighter colored eyes.
Apparently, the same is true for fluorescent lighting...which I guess explains why I've always had a problem with fluorescent lights!

However, I think my problems with the fluorescent lights have been worse than other people with blue eyes. And also, the buzz of the lights bothers me, not just the light.

http://qi.epfl.ch/en/sondage/show/92/


I really need to look more into this eye colour thing, mine are kind of golden/green so somewhere in the middle in terms of lightness.


Do you find the flicker annoying too? I really can't stand fluorescent lights all round, they are just plain nasty, too harsh, overly bright, too noisy, and that flicker is so annoying. If I was queen of the world I would ban them straight away :lol: :P



Yes, the flicker is annoying too. I would ban them, also! Fluorescent lights cause my eyes to hurt, dry out, get red, and water, which makes it even harder to look at people when I am talking to them. I eventually look like I am about to cry, all because of the lights! I do better if there is some natural light coming in to soften the fluorescent lights, but at night they are unbelievably painful.