The reason the light and the sun make us sneeze lies in our genes

How many have not had to sneeze and then fail completely? In this case, a friend often told us: “Look at the light!”. According to many, looking into strong light or the sun can cause powerful sneezing. And not wrongly! That’s why the reason light and sun make us sneeze lies in our genes.

The ACHOO syndrome

Light-induced sneezing is officially referred to as ACHOO. This acronym stands for the English words Autosomal dominant Compelling Helio-Ophtalmic Outburst and its sound mimics that of a sneeze. ACHOO is also referred to as photoptarmosis or photic reflex. And for scientists it is still partly a mystery. Generally, in fact, sneezing is caused by the presence of external bodies in the nose such as dust or pollen.

So why does strong light stimulate this physical reaction? The theories formulated in this regard have been different. According to some, the light makes us squeeze our pupils and frown. These contractions would also stimulate sneezing. For others, the answer lies in the proximity of the trigeminal nerve to the optic nerve. When the second is stimulated by light, it also involuntarily activates the first.

The reason the light and the sun make us sneeze lies in our genes

However, not everyone sneezes when they go out in the sun or turn on a light bulb. It seems, in fact, that the ACHOO syndrome affects between 15 and 30% of the population. And it seems to have a genetic root. Photoptarmosis, as evidenced by various studies, appears to be transmitted from parents to children. It seems, in fact, that this syndrome travels on a gene dominante.

In this way, therefore, a parent suffering from ACHOO has a good 50% chance of passing the syndrome on to their children. ACHOO is also easily detected with a targeted blood test. And according to some studies it can also be linked to epilepsy. Do not worry though: science has not yet investigated this aspect which for now remains more speculative than anything else.