Years ago I had a friend who would open his eyes and look at the sun to make himself sneeze. I thought it was just his idiosyncrasy, but e
very once in a while I'd hear someone else say they sneezed in sunlight.
My brother-in-law was looking for a word for it, and it turns out there already is one (or two):
About.com says that "a close association between the eye's optic nerve and nerves causing the sneeze reflex may explain why an estimated 5-25% of people sneeze with sudden exposure to bright sunlight." and goes on to say that this is "known as
photic sneeze reflex. The reflex also is called
Autosomal Dominant
Compelling
Helioophthalmic
Outburst syndrome, known (as) ACHOO."
Of course I had to fact check that last one with the ultimate source reference
Cecil, author of the column
The Straight Dope. Cecil didn't mention ACHOO, but he did ask his readers to
"...Listen to this frightening headline: "The photic sneeze reflex as a risk factor to combat pilots," Military Medicine, Breitenbach et al, 1993.""
Of course there had to be someone investing in research on the impact of sneezing on combat! It isn't as if we need to work on curing cancer or stopping world hunger or anything.
TANGENT: A mystery surrounds the identity of Cecil (shocker!).
Judge for yourself.
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