Momentary Blindness Caused By Sneezing...

[wildbears]

There was a recent article that indicated people involuntarily close their eyes when they sneeze.

Usually not a problem but may be so at high speeds.

So anyway, it appears to be possible to keep your eyes open if you make an effort to do so.

May take some practice.

YRMV

[955i]

I sometimes get a so-called "sun sneeze reflex" when emerging into bright sunlight from a shaded area. It gives a few seconds warning and after the sneeze, it's done. Generally no problem and the warning keeps it all safe enough.

However, a few years ago I was riding the RED 955i Sprint ST to California. I was on I-80 and had been keeping up with 90 MPH traffic for an hour or so. Towards dusk as I approached the Nevada state-line, both eyes started tearing up.. My eyes filled with painful salty tears that I could not blink away, In what seemed an instant, I was nearly blinded and my vision out of one decent eye was super blurry. Fortunately just before the event, I had seen that there was an off-ramp and some hotels ahead. I had not intended to stop, but the wide off-ramp offered an impromptu refuge from speeding cars behind me. I slowed as quickly as I could and stayed pointed in the direction I thought the off-ramp was going. I was able to stop and in about 5 minutes. I could see again well enough to get to one of the over-priced hotels.

As I replayed this reasonably scary event, I speculated that I was dehydrated. The tears, like urine in similar circumstances, became saturated with a strong concentration of salt and other by-products. Whatever it was, was transitory. The life lesson was permanent: stay alert and pay attention to what your body is telling you. I now try to pay attention to what I drink and how much, on all long rides.

[wildbears]

Good information. I've also heard of riders getting blinded by suntan lotion and sweat getting into their eyes.

And it may be that salt can build up on the eyelids and sweat/moisture can move this into the eyes causing marked irritation. I talked to a woman cyclist on the side of the trail who had this happen. She went through a puddle and got water splashed on her face. And the water drained into her eyes with the salt.

[802Mike]

It has a name: "ACHOO" Autosomal Dominant Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst Syndrome
I have it also. I can fire off three sneezes in a row.

[955i]

Mike, and Wildbears,
Certainly I have heard of this syndrome before. I knew it had a clever name, but I still forget it. And Mike, like the vast majority of people, it triggers three sneezes in me, tool

[wildbears]

Autosomal Dominant Compelling Helioopthalmic Outburst (ACHOO) Syndrome is characterized by uncontrollable sneezing in response to the sudden exposure to bright light, typically intense sunlight. This type of sneezing is also known as photic sneezing.

NIH Web Page

Mike, Never heard of that before.

[955i]

One time about ten years ago while competing in the Tulsa Triathlon, I had another dangerous experience. This was a point to point race where the open-water swim was 25 miles from the run start. It was a really windy day and the entire field was battered in the swim. I got something in my eye that I supposed was just water or grit. I hopped on the bike squinting out of my one good eye, knowing that it would dry and get better soon, or that I could certainly mess with it on the bike and get it better.

Well, progress was slow and I still could not see out of the one eye, but I was going good and passing folks regularly. I was flying down a long fairly steep descent when, at about 35 mph, Wham! a gnat or some similar creature dodge my riding glasses and lodged firmly into my good eye! Thank goodness it was a fairly wide straightaway, and this was a triathlon instead of a road-race. I was all over the road, but because of the "no drafting" rule, the closest competitor was two bike lengths behind me. I got it shut down without incident but did not start riding again for about five minutes while I got both eyes cleared up.

Gee, what a dufus!