The sneeze triggered by a ray of sunlight is called a “solar sneeze.” It would affect 1 in 4 people.
The sneeze triggered by a ray of sunlight, also known as the “photosternutatory reflex” or “solar sneeze”, is an interesting but still scientifically quite mysterious phenomenon. The first reference to this phenomenon probably dates from Aristotle! Although the precise mechanisms behind this phenomenon are not completely understood, there are a few theories that attempt to explain why some people sneeze when exposed to bright light, such as that of the sun. “The exact cause of this phenomenon is not completely understood, but it is thought to be related to interference in the nervous system between the optic nerves responsible for light perception and the trigeminal nerve, which controls the muscles of the face and is also involved in the sneeze reflex”, explains Dr Frédéric Le Guillou, pulmonologist, allergist and president of the France Respiratory Health Association. “When a person moves from a dark environment to a very bright environment, such as walking out of a dark building and into sunlight, the optic nerves can be overstimulated. This can trigger an electrical signal that also reaches the nerve trigeminal, thus causing sneezing.”
No allergic cause
It should be noted that not everyone reacts to sunlight in the same way, and some individuals may be more sensitive to this phenomenon than others. Additionally, although solar sneezing is generally considered harmless, it can sometimes be triggered by other types of light stimuli, such as fluorescent lights or flashes of light, and may be associated with underlying medical conditions. underlying in rare cases.
“In all cases, it is not linked to an allergic phenomenon but to questions of variation in light intensity”, specifies the specialist. “There is therefore no treatment but only prevention advice to apply.” How can we protect ourselves from these variations? “By wearing sunglasses for example”concludes the doctor, recalling that this reflex can be dangerous for car drivers. “When exiting a tunnel in broad daylight, for example, the driver may sneeze because of the variation in intensity; which can be dangerous if he closes his eyes at the same time.”