Why do some people sneeze when they are in direct sunlight
health advisory
Hospital
Health advisory
2007-11-16 5:20:24
Answer:
Photic Sneeze Reflex is what its called. The optic nerve and the nerve that causes the sneeze reflex are located very close together. The blast of bright light when you go outside triggers that optic nerve and also jostles the sneezer.
More white men do this than any other group. Both my husband and son do it. They both put on their sunglasses before they go outside to avoid the multiple sneezes. My son did it when he was 4 days old as we left the hospital to bring him home. On cue he and his Daddy sneezed at the same time! They still do it if they forget their sunglasses.
I can't tell you why, so there goes my Best Answer status, but my whole life, whenever I felt like I had to sneeze, but couldn't get it out, my family always said "look at a light! look at a light!", and darn it, it WORKS! Go figure...=)
This might or might not actually help, but I often sneeze when subjected to rapid temperature changes [and not only to cold], as do a few other people I know. Things like going from a heated/air-conditioned room to a non-climate-controlled area or vice versa is the most common, but going outside if it's much colder or warmer sometimes sets it off too. It might be a contributing factor.