From: Lee 20/07/99 11:19:40 Subject: sneezing post id: 24953 When you need to sneeze, why does it help to look at a light? From: brad dunn 20/07/99 16:07:32 Subject: re: sneezing post id: 25078 Karl has spoken about this before. Apparently, the 6th facial nerve runs through your forehead, and is affected by the optic nerves and is involved in the sneeze reflex. Some people sneeze when they walk out into sunlight for this reason From: Todd Collins 17/03/99 13:32:04 Subject: re: sneezing post id: 4157 This is known as a "photic sneeze". It is an inherited (i.e. genetic) characteristic affecting about 18-35% of the population. Basically, it occurs because the reflexes of the nose and eyes are closely related. Both the eyes and nose are served by the same cranial nerve, and the signals sometimes cross over. It's just like when you pull a hair out of your nose - it makes your eyes water, because the stimulus (pain) in the nose has caused a reflex in your eyes. When you look into a bright light, your eyes send a signal to your brain saying that there's too much light, and your brain responds by making you constrict your pupils and squint to limit the amount of light going into your eyes. Because of the crossing-over of signals, though, the brain also gets a message that your nose is being irritated too, so it also makes you reflexively sneeze. From: Tink 8/02/99 22:31:43 Subject: sneezing and bright light post id: 620 One of my mates at work asked me if when you are going to sneeze looking at a bright light ensures you will sneeze. I had never noticed this so we asked some people at work (about 20) and found that about 50% said that it happened to them, about 25% said that it had no effect at all and the rest had not noticed. I have since tried this and have come up with a theory. To my knowledge you cannot sneeze with your eyes open. So when you look at bright light you squint therefore bringing your eyes closer to being closed and making it easier to sneeze. I have tested this theory with the same success weather looking at light or just squinting. I would like to hear anything anyone has to say about this. Tink From: Jeremy 9/02/99 9:30:33 Subject: re: sneezing and bright light post id: 631 Tink said, "To my knowledge you cannot sneeze with your eyes open" I've read that that is an urban myth. You can sneeze with open eyes but it's difficult. I get the light/sneezing thing too, and so does one of my sisters. With me it is caused usually by having to adjust from a dim to a bright light, and then there is no need to sneeze after two or three sneezes. BUT, if I need to sneeze for whatever reason and walk through some cigarette smoke, or other pungent smell, then the ability to sneeze goes away while the need to sneeze remains. That's when deliberately , stopping, looking into the light, squinting and letting all breath out can get the sneeze out. The only other time I sneeze is if there is a definite irritation in the nose - before getting a cold. This forum is un-moderated. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individual poster and not the ABC. The ABC reserves the right to remove offensive or inappropriate messages.