Hypo-Sensitivity to Light

I wondered if anyone else here is hypo-sensitive to light rather than hyper-sensitive? I’ve seen various comments here about “If the world was more autistic-friendly, all the lights would be muted,” but I’m slowly realising that I’m the reverse. While I like muted light when watching TV and getting ready for bed, muted light the rest of the time makes me feel sleepy (although I don’t like bright flashing lights). My work office, for example, has terrible lighting and I’m sure it affects my efficiency. I like quite sharp, bright light or clear contrasts. At university, when working after sunset, I would turn all the lights off in the room and work by the light of a bright desk light, so I could focus on my desk and my work and not see the rest of the room and get distracted. I liked that sharp contrast. I feel slightly weird as other autistics all seem to be the opposite way, although I know that for anything most autistics experience as hyper-sensitivity, some will experience hypo-sensitivity. I guess it fuels the "I'm not really autistic" impostor syndrome.

Parents
  • Light affects us all differently, I quite like a bright light, depending where I am and what I’m doing. If my friend comes over, and closed the blinds I hate it. I feel closed in and like I can’t see properly. In bright light my eyes water and squint more than the average person. I am allergic to UVA and UVB too, which doesn’t help. 
    As a youngster I remember enjoying laying in full sun with my eyes closed. I still do that now, but I’m totally covered up with just my face in view, and under a Titanium umbrella. 

Reply
  • Light affects us all differently, I quite like a bright light, depending where I am and what I’m doing. If my friend comes over, and closed the blinds I hate it. I feel closed in and like I can’t see properly. In bright light my eyes water and squint more than the average person. I am allergic to UVA and UVB too, which doesn’t help. 
    As a youngster I remember enjoying laying in full sun with my eyes closed. I still do that now, but I’m totally covered up with just my face in view, and under a Titanium umbrella. 

Children
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