Sunlight And Driving Question

[runningshoe]

Hi all

Yesterday I was driving and for a couple of miles the sun was shinning through the trees on and off and it was like driving through rapidly changing bright lights and darkness. I started to feel like I was having vision problems so I reached for my sunglasses. They did not help and then I start to feel nauseous and dizzy. It got worse until I finally pulled over. My hubby drove the rest of the way. I was dizzy on and off for a hour or so. Hubby and brother in law said I was yellowish white and my lips had no color. Don't ask me why I was driving in the first place when there was a perfectly capable adult sitting next to me! !! Anybody else experience this? Thanks!

[bluebeauty875]

Actually yes except it wasn't when I was driving. It seems to hit me when I'm in a room with two different sources of light like natural lighting and the ceiling lights. It's like a conflicting battle. I think I'm right, but the autonomic system controls vision right? Maybe thats what it is.

[Mrs. Burschman]

Bright lights can trigger migraines in me. Twice I got them when getting my hair cut because the sun was reflecting off of the mirror in front of me into my eyes. Maybe what happened to you was something similar.

Amy

[stampingamy]

It is as if I could have written your email, Lina. I have the same issue sometimes. I also have problems when the sun reflects on the dash in the car and it is bright. Fall and winter are harder as the sun sets sooner and I am driving home from work about that time.

You are not alone!

Amy

[pat57]

I think the flurry of visual changes might cause over stimulation.

[Sushi]

I often get this too. I think the sunlight shining through the trees gives a kinda strobe light effect, which many of us can't tolerate. My way of dealing with it is to keep a baseball cap in the car and angle it to cut out the sunlight/tree business. Works pretty well.

[ajw4790]

The sunlight drives me nuts while driving!

I wear glasses (can't do contacts). So, I can't wear sunglasses. I need to get prescription sunglasses, but they are expensive etc... But, they are on my long to do list, and really probably do need them.

Glad I am not the only one!

[Mrs. Burschman]

ajw,

Have you tried the clip-on sunglasses that go over regular glasses? Or even a pair of those ones they give you when they dilate your eyes at the eye doctor's, which could go under your glasses? They might look stupid, but if you'd feel better ...

Amy

[pearsjon]

this bothers me as much as yall. it is was sent me to eye md that gave me dx of occular migranes. i get as dizzy as you described. very nauseas too. i have always been a car sick person unless i am driving. maybe it is the over stimulation.

but when they did the strobe light thing to me at nuero, i showed nothing. so i am more confused. but it is god awful. i put my hand over my face( of course i am not driving at the time) ]. thanks for making me not feel alone.

[dezyrae2]

I was having the same problem and went to the eye doctor for it and he explained it to me. He said it is the same thing that happens to fishermen out on boats and the reflection of the sun on the water. He said i had to get polarized sun glasses to drive. They are not perscription but a little expensive but well worth it. He said the sun is alot worse in the winter because it sets lower than in the summer. You could give them a try. I bought them at the office but you can get them at those mall outlets also. They have extra layers of protection to stop the reflection and the strobe effect. He said that would also lessen the migraines we get from that effect from the sun. Hope this helps and good luck. Desiree

[runningshoe]

Thanks for your replies. I am starting to think I will have to check the weather before I go out - not worrying about snow or ice but sun instead! Is it just another pots thing? Good idea about polarized sunglasses and a baseball cap. Thanks!

[Miriam Poorman-Knox]

I I have this and I purchased polarized sunglasses. They are wrap around they go over your glasses they are great. There are many at cvs. On the net you can get them for both av. Also I am wearing them when its snowing also a hard reflector. Good luck Miriam

[Tammy]

Transition lenses can help with this too. I now have transition lenses for my glasses and also the frame is the type that comes with the magnetic sunglass clip. It helps a lot but sometimes if the sun light sneaks around the frame into my eyes I still get the lightheaded/dizzy effect too.

- Tammy

[ellen]

Polarized sunglasses make a big difference for me also, but be careful to buy them from a reputable dealer- I bought some at "Odd Lots" (great price), and they were no different from regular sunglasses!

I tried Transition lenses, but they only work when the sun is high in the sky (mid-day). When the sun is shining in your face is at dawn and dusk, so I still needed sunglasses for driving!

I get the biggest glasses I can find, so the sun can't peak in from the sides.

[juliegee]

Hey Lina-

I've also experienced what you are describing & I suspect that your symptoms were not caused merely by sunlight. Something about the rhythmic flashing lights that can occur when you are traveling at a fast rate of speed through dappled sunlight can set off a phenomenon called "flicker illness." This can cause nausea and sometimes fullblown epileptic seizures. When I feel this occurring, I become hypervigilant and try to break my visual perception by blinking or lessening my speed, etc. Sungalsses won't do it. It's the pattern that lulls my brain into a different state.

This phenomenon is very interesting to explore. There have even been reported cases in Japan where hundreds of children had an epileptic seizure at the same time due to rapidly flashing lights on a cartoon. Children who looked away or otherwise broke the pattern didn't succumb. See if this fits your symtoms.

Julie

[runningshoe]

Thanks for all the great advice. I am still wondering if it is POTS related, something to do with my messed up nervous system. What do you think?

[Mrs. Burschman]

It's always so hard to say what's because of our goofy bodies, or what's because everyone's body is goofy sometimes!

I suppose you could ask your doctor the next time you see him/her. Although they'll probably say "I don't know." Seems to be a common response I get, anyway.

Amy

[doctorguest]

At this time, it is hard to say whether this phenomenon is POTS-related. Rather, it is definitely a migraine-related occurrence and a very common one. I hear this all the time from migraine sufferers. Even though I think you did not experience a headache, it is quite possible that you've experienced a migraine-related symptomatology. I would venture to say that based on the knowledge that we have available from disorders such as migraine and fibromyalgia, there may be a general sensitization of the brain and the brainstem in these disorders, whereas visual - or auditory, or olfactory - stimuli activate the pathways in the brain that result in symptoms that you describe. In fact, the most advanced neuroimaging that we have available revealed that in migraine sufferers, occipital cortex - part of the brain responsible for vision - is functioning differently than in people who do not have migraine. We should definitely have more studies on POTS patients.

[ajw4790]

That is very interesting. I have never heard it described this way. Doctorguest, where is a good place to find further info on all of this? I was not aware of all the other symptomology. If these things get so bothersome, is the treatment the same as with regular migraines?

Thanks for any more info!