Light Sensitivity And Autism - Safe Sleep Systems

This article is evidence-based, verified by Dr. Ahmed Zayed

Light sensitivity is a constant and serious problem among individuals with autism. This problem is so common, 96% of autistic individuals are experiencing it. While the way the visual stimuli are experienced varies from person to person, the uncomfortable symptoms affect everyone’s day to day lives.

Here, we will take a closer look at light sensitivity and what is the reason that people with autism are more vulnerable to it.

In this post, we'll cover:

What Is Light Sensitivity?

Being sensitive to certain types of light like wavelengths and brightness makes an individual experience a sensory overload. These individuals can’t tolerate light, such as fluorescent, sunlight, or incandescent light.

When faced with these stimuli, they can experience both hypo-sensitivities (under-responsiveness) and hyper-sensitivities (over-responsiveness).

What Are the Harmful Effects of Light Sensitivity?

Light sensitivity overlaps an individual’s senses and disturbs them, often resulting in distortions. For example, those who experience light sensitivity have trouble walking on a bright and sunny day. Instead, they will try to go to the nearest darkest area where it will be possible to cover the eyes and not be affected by the glare.

For them, roads, sidewalks, shops with huge open windows are too much. Certain lights are incredibly difficult to tolerate, particularly due to hypo-sensitivity or hypersensitivity.

Hypo-sensitivity is often associated with discomfort, physical withdrawal, aggressive behavior, irritability, and distraction. If an individual has a hard time dealing with the stimuli, they will try to avoid it or become hostile due to their inability to deal with the problem.

Hypersensitivities, on the other hand, are reactions that happen when the entire immune system starts responding abnormally to stimuli. This can prove harmful to the entire body. While these reactions are less commonly associated with light sensitivity, they can still occur in patients with allergies and destroy certain cells in the tissues.

Non-allergic hypersensitivity reactions trigger mast cell activation and release histamine. This happens after the individual has been exposed to a trigger.

When faced with either hypo-sensitivities or hypersensitivities, it’s difficult to control one’s physical coordination and balance. As a result, they become a lot clumsier than anyone else who doesn’t experience this problem.

Fluorescent Lighting as a Major Problem With Autism

Based on statistics, 50% of individuals with autism are vulnerable to fluorescent light. This type of light has particularly negative effects since it causes severe sensitivity. In fact, fluorescent light can increase repetitive behaviors in children with autism.

A different study also had the same results pointing out that this type of light increases the frequency of such behaviors, particularly in children with autism.

What Causes Light Sensitivity?

In recent years, there was little research on autism and light sensitivity, so it is very difficult for researchers to pinpoint the exact reason for the stimuli and the painful responses people may experience. But, some hypotheses have appeared.

Some experts believe the abnormal pupillary light reflex is the cause of the problem. This reflex refers to how the pupil adapts and reacts to different light sources, brightness, light wavelengths, etc. It seems that the photosensitive retinal ganglion cells could be the reason behind the impaired sensory stimuli the same way they affect migraines.

Based on the type of light and intensity, people can experience different triggers for painful headaches that can be even more harmful during a migraine attack.

Other researchers believe people with autism have a different structure of their central nervous system. These physical differences could be the reason behind the reduced neurological threshold for stimuli, including light sensitivity. Such physical changes could contribute to other behavioral and visual changes. Particularly, for any individual suffering from this problem.

Another possible factor is the “senses overload.” If there is a bright light in an already disorienting and visually stimulating environment, it’s possible to result in strong painful responses. The higher the light intensity, or the higher the wavelengths, the more painful it can be. In the end, the brain is confused and unable to process the stimuli properly.

Lastly, there is a slight possibility that light may not be the direct trigger; instead, it is the emotional and environmental stressors that cause this problem. These stressors can cause numerous complications, one of which could be light sensitivity.

How to Recognize Light Sensitivity with Autism

Physical symptoms are one of the most common manifestations for autistic individuals, and they can include:

Triggered migraines/headaches
Afterimages
Discomfort to any artificial lights including fluorescent
The need to protect the eyes from the light
Inability to stay long in a place with bright light

However, there can also be other signs that are less recognizable like anxiety to light stimuli, inability to socially interact in bright spaces, or stay focused when there are different types of sensory disruptions in the same area.

How to Avoid Light Exposure with Autism?

It’s very important to take precautions and reduce light sensitivity when possible. For those who prefer dim places, it’s important to keep the lights dim in the rooms where the individual spends most of their time. Replacing any artificial lights with natural lights is another way to reduce exposure. But, outside, it can be a different problem.

For individuals with autism, wearing glasses or hats to reduce visual stimuli is possible but more difficult. On the outside, the different stimuli will only increase. Avoiding such factors is more challenging than controlling the exposure in confined areas, like one’s room. But, as long as the individual wears something to cover the eyes, they can manage the symptoms.

If you believe you need more help controlling the exposure, it’s imperative that you consult a doctor. Since the stimuli can affect every individual differently, treatments can vary. The doctor might suggest wearing glasses or anything else that can help deal with the stressors.

Dr. Ahmed Zayed, MD holds a baccalaureate of Medicine and Surgery. An avid contributor to the Huffington Post and Chicago Tribune, Dr. Zayed believes in providing accurate and accessible information to general readers. With years of writing and editing content in the medical niche, Dr. Zayed likes to think of himself as a man with a mission, keeping the internet free of false medical information.

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