Hello everyone,

I'd love to get some feedback from anyone who has experienced this, seen this, or even just heard of it. This isn't a short post, so consider yourself warned

It started about 7 months ago when my workplace changed all the lights above my work station. They were fluorescent before, but they were a 'soft white' color, or 3000K color temperature. Now, they are still fluorescent, but a MUCH brighter/bluer color, 4100K color temperature. The first few weeks I didn't notice much....my eye was twitching, which was weird, but that was about it. Then I started leaving work each day with bloodshot eyes and a headache. I attributed this to regular 'ol eye strain, and since I hadn't had an eye checkup in some time I figured I'd go see an optometrist. I mentioned the light change, just off hand, I had a small feeling it might have something to do with it, but he didn't think it was anything and gave me a rather expensive pair of reading glasses. Needless to say, those didn't help.

As more time went on the symptoms just grew stronger, now nausea was a big part of it. My eyes would burn, then the burning would mostly go away to be replaced by fatigue and nausea....but more than that...it's hard to explain......it sort of feels like having the flu. fluie as I say.

I then started going to ophthamologists. Each one was sympathetic, but my eyes checked out perfectly fine, and they could not tell me why it was happening. Even when I got to the point when I KNEW it was the lights, they couldn't explain anything.

How do I know it's the lights? I'm a very skeptical person, science minded and into control groups and double blind studies. I really didn't want to believe it was a matter of light wavelength....that just seems unbelievable. But over time I realized that's what it is. When I'm not at work, I'm fine. Over the weekend I get 100% again. Back at work Monday, symptoms start creeping up....and then as the week progresses each day at work under the lights I feel worse and worse. It has gotten to a point now where if I spend the full day under the full lights, I can't function, I feel too sick. All I want to do is lie in a bed and pull the sheets over my eyes.

Things that have worked:

I had the lightbulbs directly over my desk taken out, and diffusers were put on a few of the other lights around the room. This has helped, when I'm at my desk. The problem is that with my job i do a lot of my work in different areas of the building, and the entire building has this light, and all the other spaces have this light at full blast. If I could stay at my desk all day it would be tolerable, but I can't.

I have purchased glasses online with a special tint that was created to help people with migraines. This tint blocks out a lot of the blue/green light spectrum that appears to be what is bothering me. They have helped a lot, but the frames let in too much light, and i've had to create custom 'blinders' that block light from the sides. At work now I am the lady wearing the 'shades' with the hat on (the brimmed hat really helps light from the top getting in).


As far as other Drs, as I mentioned, the ophthalmologists were no help. Just a big bill. I finally saw a neurologist who has worked with people who have suffered traumatic brain injuries that resulted in photophobia (light sensitivity), and she had suggestions. One was to visit an optometrist she recommends that has experience with people with light sensitivity (he's a two visist type Dr. and my second visit with him is thursday). The other recommendation was Gabapentin, which she said might 'dull' my over sensitive receptors. I have just started on that, I'm worried about some of the side effects (dizzyness most of all...the light situation has already worsened my vertigo)...but if this medication can help me I'd be so happy.

What has been happening lately which worries me is that it is getting worse. Now, I'm not only getting symptoms at work, whenever I go into a grocery store, or into a 'big box' store that has a very blue/white fluorescent lighting I start feeling sick within 15 minutes. It gets worse and worse until I feel like I'm either going to throw up or pass out. As soon as I leave I feel better. But what worries me is that these places never used to bother me before, and instead of feeling better immediately, after one short trip into a grocery store it takes me the better part of a day to recuperate. I'm concerned that wearing my tinted lenses and hat most of the work week has caused my eyes to become even more light sensitive when I'm not wearing them. But if they are the only things that help....what am i supposed to do?

I'm 25, and I used to love my job. Right now all of this has caused a lot of stress and anxiety because I feel like I can't work there anymore. I used to see myself there for years, now I can't think about being there even months......but finding a job is hard (as all of you know), and I need health insurance. It's a great job, with great coworkers, and great benefits......it's just making me sick! One of the Drs who has been the MOST help is the psychiatrist I started seeing. I needed to be put on anti-depressants, I knew it myself, and so I'm just getting into that as well...but I think that will be very helpful.

I really just needed a place to talk to people who, even if they're not dealing with THIS problem, understand what it feels like to be seeing Dr after Dr with no answer as to WHY this is happening. Also, to find yourself in a position where your life from now on will be affected by something completely out of your control. It's hard. I