Question out of curiosity - photosensitivity

[MichelleMC]

Hello all,
I'm not sure if this is a myth or if it can really happen. But I have heard that flashing lights, like the ones in an EEG can cause seizures? Is that true or not? I know it doesn't bother me. In fact I love looking at flickering lights, like on rides at carnivals, etc. That is my favorite part of the EEG too. I don't have a seizure when I see lights flicker or flash, whatever the correct word is.
Does it bother any of you to see lights flicker?

[Meetz1064]

matter of fact, flickering lights DO bother a lot of E patients. They irritate me, make me feel...UNSTABLE...but do not send me into a seizure. I can no longer go to football games because I can't handle the lights from the Jumbotrons.....and I used to be in the marching band!

[BIGMAN131307]

The flashing lights don't effect me. But sunlight or other bright lights do.

Ex. A live rock concert with all the flashing lighting effects don't bother me one bit. But house lights that are over 40W soft white bother the heck out of me.

[Belinda5000]

Flashing lights do bother and will send me into a seizure.
A rock concert with the flashing lights has use never bothered me I couldn't make it through one today without seizing.
But an EEG with the slashing lights will send me into a seizure every time.

Belinda

[darkmarkshark]

yes, its photosensitive epilepsy. A lot of people had seizures when the EF forum was attacked by people posting flashing pictures. There are even laws about the speed of flashing fire alarms because they can trigger seizures

If I'm not mistaken the only reason they use those flashing lights during the EEG is to attempt to induce a seizure.

[Crazy Monkey]

Strobe lighting bothers the hell out of me, it doesn't always cause a seizure but I am certainly very sensitive towards it, that said the flashing lights during an eeg does normally trigger a seizure.

I have more problems with extremely bright static white/yellow (no problems with colours) lights such as high wattage bulbs, floodlights, security lights and a bright laptop screen in a dark room.

Also, I have found a new one recently, during a powercut we had to go back to basics and light a candle, the candles flickering light dancing around the room done my head in, so much so, that I ended up blowing it out and sitting in the dark with only a small torch (flashlight) for company.

Actually thats another one, flashlights, I can't bear to have them things shone in my eyes.

[Nancy]

Michelle - flickering lights do not bother me, never have.
By choice I live under big fluorescent lights. All the lights fired at me during an eeg do nothing.

The afternoon sun light filtering through bare trees during the fall ...... well, I find that really "disturbing". I don't have seizures but I am somehow ?? very scared, develop a whopping migraine and avoid it if I can.

[Bernard]

I created a poll for you:

Are you photosensitive?

[Meetz1064]

Thank you, Mr B!

[MichelleMC]

I created a poll for you:

Are you photosensitive?

Thank you, Bernard for the poll. By the way, I voted and this is the second time that I voted in a poll here that said I already voted. This is the first time on the poll you created and same with the other poll. I only voted once, and that first time it said I already voted.

[Bernard]

At what point did the forum give you this message? On the page where it shows the poll, or when you try to vote?

[MichelleMC]

At what point did the forum give you this message? On the page where it shows the poll, or when you try to vote?

I noticed it when I tried to vote, but that doesn't mean it wasn't there before. If there are other polls, I am going to go to them and see if that same message is there.

[skillefer]

It's called photosensitivity. And yes, flickering lights, strobe lights, flashing lights, and certain patterns can trigger seizures. I stay away from flickering lights (at school) as well as strobe lights, as strobe lights have triggered me in the past.