ELI5: achoo syndrome
// explanation
What is ACHOO syndrome?
ACHOO syndrome is when your nose makes you sneeze really hard every time you look at bright light, like the sun [1][3]. It's like your body has a funny switch that gets turned on by brightness instead of dust or tickles [2].
Why does it happen?
Your eyes and your nose are connected by invisible wires in your brain [5]. When bright light suddenly hits your eyes, those wires get confused and send a sneeze signal to your nose by accident [1][3].
What does it feel like?
If you have this, you can't stop the sneezes even though there's nothing actually in your nose [3][4]. It's like your body is playing a trick on you—you look at the sun and suddenly ACHOO!
How do you fix it?
Right now, the easiest thing is to wear sunglasses when it's bright outside [4]. The good news is it's not dangerous and doesn't mean anything is wrong with you [1].
// sources
Oct 15, 2012 ... Autosomal Dominant Compelling Helioopthalmic Outburst (ACHOO) Syndrome is characterized by uncontrollable sneezing in response to the sudden ...
The photic sneeze reflex (also known as ACHOO syndrome, a contrived acronym for Autosomal-dominant Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst) is an inherited ...
Achoo syndrome is characterized by uncontrollable sneezing in response to the sudden exposure to bright light, typically intense sunlight.
Jul 10, 2023 ... If you sneeze uncontrollably when you see the sun or a bright light shines in your eyes, you probably have a photic sneeze reflex, or ACHOO syndrome.
Sep 8, 2025 ... Discover how ACHOO syndrome links light exposure to involuntary sneezing, shedding light on genetic and neural mechanisms behind this ...
Video by Zayed Almadidy, MD (Dr. Z Neurosurgery)
Video by Dr Sermed Mezher
Video by Wonder Labs
