Much like the Gremlins (movie dating back to the good old days before computer animation), I have to be kept out of the light. This problem, like all medical matters it would seem, is getting worse as I get older. It used to be only a negative reaction to the sun on a particularly sunny summer day but now I have developed the problem to include indoor places as well. I now hate the BIG LIGHT - it is like someone thrusting a powerful torch in my face! Nowadays I only have background lighting which barely lightens the room enough but that's how I like it. I imagine my winter evenings will be very much like a Dickens novel dramatisation on the TV where the central characters are wandering around in the dark only lit by a tiny hand held candle. It is now not just the power of light hurting my eyes either, nowadays I think bright light effects my mood and I feel irritable.
So I am not yet a Gremlin in the light, I haven't yet stretched that far. But I do immediately become an irritable, bothersome little git in bright light both indoors and outdoors nowadays, and that's what you call progress!
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Pedal2
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Hi I had to live in the dark for over a year. I did't get angry but the effect of light and patterns moving made me pass out. This was the stress response to visual stimulation. Eventually I saw an optometrist who did tests and found visual processing issues in the occipital lobe of the brain. I was prescribed tinted lens glasses which had an astonishing effect. After 3 different pairs over 3 years the problem corrected. Now I have normal vision and no stress response. The effect of indoor lighting and screens was a different issue, the glasses did not work in these. I seemed to build up visual stamina over a number of years with this and eventually I got a 144Hz monitor for computing and the faster refresh rate seemed to do the trick.
Seems there were three issues, visual processing, sensitivity to sunlight and sensitivity to LED, screen lighting. All of them were dealt with separately with different techniques.
Go see an optometrist for help. Warning though, there are optometrists and there are good optometrists. Choose carefully.
Thank you pink vision, like leaf's comments below your condition seems more severe than mine. I have not yet passed out due to light. Mine just makes me feel uncomfortable and partially blinded temporarily. It does appear to be getting worse though so thank you for your advice as in the future I may be following it.
Hello Pedal2. Like you I've had to live in a permanent twilight for the last 5 yrs, since my brain op. My optometrist has classed me as 'ultra-light sensitive' and I've been given prescription dark glasses to help when I'm out and about.
I wore rx sunglasses with another pair of sunglasses over them, the fit over kind, for years. I still function better wearing rx sunglasses, even in grey rainy winter. They have yellow anti glare ones for driving at night,( with claer rx lenses if you need them - grey sunglasses block out too much at night) they do work wondsers - though best on roads you know as you can't, or at least I can't - your mileage may vary - always tell if a line is yellow or if the glasses make it so.
The plus with the fit over sunglasses is they keep the light out from the sides as well. Wearing a hat helps. Though in winter the normals may act a bit strange about it. Whatever.
There are optometrists and there are neurovisual optometrists, from what I understand that is a new thing and there are no standards of practise yet.
Pink tinted glasses really help some people a lot, for some they are immediate relief and for others just meh.
A lot of people with abi hide in the summer to stay away from the light and the heat.
Some programs for tablets, like Twilight, give you more contol over how much the screen is lit. I use a tv as a computor monitor as it gives me more control over contrast and saturation and brighness levels. The VCL player also has quite a few adjuatments, including satiation, which takes the colour out of the movie and makes it black and white - I find that helps.
I have battery operated candles and sometimes just have those in inthe evening, it is a relief sometimes to have less input. I also have warm white light bulbs instead of the blue ones, though it would be great to have the kind where they can shift based on your command, or even be a diffetent colour. Green is generally easier to deal with, I thought that was just me but evidently that is also not uncommin, gurss it harks back to the days we swung in the trees and hid in the forest.
Whatever you can find to cope is good.
Sometimes exposing yourself to the stimuli in bits here and there helps desensitize you, I found playjng comojter games helped with that. Plants vs Zombies triggered dizzy/not being able to walk/room spinning... but after some time and persistance I can play it a bit. It is probably the busiest game I found, especially survival mode with the pool. The time managemnt ones are busy but not as nuts as it is. I found going on a free online site let me try a few worhour buying sl I could chose something thay challenged me withour killing me. Hidden object games may be a good place to start as they move a lot less than the others.
And,its allso ok to be where you are for awhile or for forever - take it as it comes.
Thank you Leaf, I have to say that now I feel like a moaning old git as I must confess I do not wear sunglasses permanently (yet) or change the brightness on screens. You have put my problem more into perspective. I just don't like bright light surrounding me any more so when some people say "what a ghastly day" because the sky is filled with dark grey clouds that block out the light I'm thinking "what a wonderful day!" To react to your comments re computer games in really bright light on a sunny day I think I temporally become a zombie and imagine I look like a character from the walking dead because I am blinded by the light.
You are welcome, Pedal2. As time has passed I no longer have to do as much to cope, as in I can tolerate more - and, I am realizing if I am kinder to myself and manage how much I tolerate even when I seemingly get away with it, I don't trigger symptoms as fast. Being an irritable cranky pants being one of them - when I overloqded I am not joy tbe around. Others have the optipn of fleeing, but I have to put up with myself when get to that zone. And , the headache and other aches that go with. By then my brain feels like my feet do if I have had to walk too far in really uncomfortable shoes on a hot day. Small wonder it gets cranky.
My favourite days come in three kinds - snow when the cloud cover turn everything violet, and while the snow blanket remains undisturbed; dense fog in winter; and, spring days when the wind rolls in black clouds and there are no more shadows.
I think you have a wonderful way with words Leaf, I have thought so before with your earlier replies regarding other posts. You should consider writing a book, you have a talent for really hitting the nail on the head! "Others have the option of fleeing, but I have to put up with myself" - CLASSIC! The amount of times I have thought along those lines. Or even - "take this annoying git with you too!" (referring to myself) "I need a break for at least 5 or 10 minutes . . . . NO! Make that 5 or 10 hours. NO! SCREW IT make it days!"
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